All's Fair in Love and War
by abigailchase
Summary: In war, anything goes, and in love, the same rule applies. What happens when both elements are put together? Does one intensify the other...or are they equally agonizing?
1. Chapter 1

Well, this may be a one-shot for now, I'll decide after I write this, okay?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 1**

A young girl pulled more daggers out of her black trench coat, throwing them at the opposing side, dropping snipers and regulars right and left. Her black dog ears and black hair were stained red with blood, the red liquid enhancing her natural red streaks, blood also staining her usual white gloves. Her crimson eyes were cold as the battle wore on…yet she didn't give up.

Next to her, he was still standing, slashing at the opposing regulars at close range with his transmuted automail arm. His amber eyes were cold as well; a few spatters of blood stained his amber hair, his red coat stained a deeper crimson color, his usually white gloves stained all the same.

Around them, friends they had known for years had fallen, never to be spoken to again. Their commanding officer and Fuhrer, Roy Mustang, was still standing, vowing to stay with them until the battle was over…or he was dead, and he was hoping it would be the first.

"You doing all right Kararu?" The amber-eyed boy asked quickly, slashing down another regular.

"Do you even have to ask?" Kararu asked, throwing another pair of daggers, dropping two snipers who were about to take aim. "Ed, you know me. I'm always doing all right. The question is, are you?"

"Yes, Kararu, I'm fine." Ed assured her, running forward, slashing at another regular that was coming at him. "HEY SHIKOU, HOW YOU DOING?"

"JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME FIGHT!" A blue haired girl yelled angrily, throwing a ninja star at him. He just dodged it since she had thrown it carelessly, aiming to miss on purpose. Her icy-blue eyes gave Ed a cool glare.

"That means she's fine." Kararu yelled up to Ed with a sweatdrop. Shikou's glare turned to Kararu. "Okay, okay, I get it, I get it!" Kararu yelled at her, dropping another sniper with a dagger. "Damn it, I'm running out of daggers again!"

"I'm on it!" Mustang yelled from his position, quickly drawing a transmutation circle on the ground, touching it to have another pile of daggers appear in front of Kararu.

"Thanks Fuhrer!" Kararu yelled to him.

"No problem, just keep fighting, their numbers are growing smaller! But watch out for bullets!" Mustang yelled, then leaned over to dodge a bullet. "DAMNIT DEMON, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO KILL THE SNIPERS!"

"Sorry sir!" Kararu yelled back, dropping the sniper with a dagger.

"Mustang, don't be so hard on her!" Ed yelled, clapping his hands and shoving them onto the ground, a wall of earth appearing between the enemy and their side.

"Okay, we can take a breather…" Ed said, giving a sigh of slight relief.

"Yeah…thanks…" Kararu muttered, leaning up against the wall to slide down it to the ground, taking deep breaths. "No matter how many people I have to kill I still can't help but feel guilty afterwards…"

"Don't worry." Ed said with a small smile. "You're not the only one. You do know that Mustang had to kill Winry's parents under orders once, right?"

"No." Kararu answered flatly. "I knew there was something about him and killing people…"

"Yeah. Ever since then, a war is the last thing he wanted and has been trying to prevent. It's easier to do since he's become Fuhrer, but he just couldn't stop the Ishbalans from rebelling…" Ed said with a sigh.

"Oh…"

"Kararu, in case something happens in this battle or future battles, I…" Ed said, trailing off, his eyes downcast.

"What is it? You can tell me." Kararu said gently.

"I…I lo-" Ed said, but was interrupted when Mustang yelled at them.

"FULLMETAL, DEMON, MOVE!"

Kararu's ears twitched as she listened, a loud whistling sound reaching her eardrums.

"Shit!" Kararu yelled, grabbing Ed's wrist and pulling him to his feet as she got to hers, but before they could move at all, a loud explosion came from behind them.

Kararu and Ed dove to the ground, large chunks of stone and rocks falling on and around them. The rocks stopped falling and Kararu stood, coughing at the heavy dust cloud surrounding them. She looked down at Ed to see him sitting up, rubbing his head.

"How the hell'd they get bombs?" Kararu asked, kneeling down next to Ed to examine his head where he'd been hit with a rock. "You'll be fine, it's just a scratch."

"All right…" Ed said, standing up as the dust cloud around them settled. "Kararu, I lo-" He started to say again, but was interrupted when…

"ED, NO!" Kararu cried, hearing the whistle of a bullet too late to do anything. She watched as he started to fall, fresh blood seeping through his black shirt to stain it even more. She darted forward as he fell, successfully catching him before he hit the ground.

"Kararu…are you…all…right?" Ed asked weakly as she set him gently on the ground, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Yes, Ed, I'm fine." Kararu reassured him, giving him a watery smile.

"Good…I'm glad…your…safe…" Ed whispered, then his head tilted to the side, his eyes closing.

"Ed…Ed, wake up! This is some sort of a sick joke, right?" Kararu asked, her voice getting high pitched with panic as it cracked. She shook his shoulder gently. "Come on, this is a joke! It has to be! Wake up Ed…wake up!" The tears that had been threatening to fall finally did, leaving clean streaks down her blood spattered, dirt covered face.

Her eyes grew cold as another gun fired from enemy territory. She stood, clapped her hands and shoved them on her chest. Black flames engulfed her, and when they disappeared, she had fangs, claws, and two midnight black tails.

"Die!" Kararu yelled, swooping down, picking up daggers, throwing them to drop regulars and more snipers faster than before. A minute later, she felt something shoot into her arm. She looked down to see a dart. "Oh _hell_ no…" She muttered, feeling her body grow numb. She fell to the ground, not able to move.

The last thing she saw was another explosion and a cloud of smoke.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Demon, wake up."

"_Won't they ever give up?"_ Kararu thought.

"Wake up."

She mentally sighed. _"Fine, fine, I'll go friggin' wake up!"_

She groaned, and tried to lift her arm, but it wouldn't move.

"Don't try to move too much…" The person told her.

"Why?" She croaked out. She slowly opened her eyes to see a very relieved Mustang looking down at her. She looked around the bed she was in, seeing that Shikou, Hughes, Hawkeye, Havoc and Al were all looking at her with relief. She could tell that Al and Shikou's eyes were bloodshot and puffy, but it didn't really register at the moment.

"Well…" Mustang said, watching her try to move, but she realized she couldn't.

"Why can't I move?" Kararu asked.

"You were shot with a dart coated with a paralyzing agent. We gave you an antidote a short while ago since it took so long for us to figure out what it was, so you should be able to move within the hour."

"How long was I out?" Kararu questioned.

"I…you, uh…"

"How. Long."

"A week."

"WHAT!"

"Please, Demon, don't scream…"

"So, what happened at the battle?"

"We won, just barely, if that's what your wondering."

Kararu's heart then did a cartwheel and her stomach pulled off a few summer salts. She sat straight up and looked around frantically, putting an arm over her stomach as she ignored the pain she was feeling.

"Wh-where's Ed?"

Everyone stayed silent, Mustang sitting down in his seat a moment later. No one was looking up, and no one allowed Kararu to catch their eye.

"What? Where is he?" Kararu asked, tears filling her eyes. "Where is Ed?"

No one would answer her.

"Where is he?" Kararu asked, her voice getting higher pitched with panic. She looked around at the faces of the ones around her, never catching anyone's eye. "W-where?"

Still, no one answered or even looked up.

Tears started to fill her eyes, frustration growing in her that no one would tell her anything, her voice cracking and stammering when she spoke. "W-where i-is he? P-please, someone t-tell me!" She looked around at them again, seeing tears running down Mustang's, Shikou's and Al's cheeks. "W-why are y-you crying?"

Finally, Shikou spoke, her voice cracking as she tried to keep from crying more. "He…he's…gone…"

"Explain to m-me…w-what 'gone' i-is." Kararu said, her heart missing every other beat, her body going numb.

"After the battle, we searched the battlefield for any survivors. We found Fuery, Falman and Havoc alive, Fuery buried under a pile of dirt. We were about to give up when we fund you, buried under ruble, a large rock having fallen n your midsection, breaking a few ribs on impact." Mustang said.

"Th-that still d-doesn't t-tell me what h-happened to E-Ed." Kararu said coolly, bravely keeping her tears in her eyes.

"This is…this is all we found…we never found him…" Hughes said, holding something out to her. She lifted a shaking hand and took the two items from him. One was a piece of bloodstained red cloth, a part of it revealing a piece of the design on the back of Ed's jacket.

The other was a necklace, the same one that Kararu had given him as a sign of friendship: a silver chain with a silver pendant, which was the design on the back of his jacket. The hand not holding the necklace dropped the cloth, then went up to her neck to touch the identical one she had on her neck.

Then it hit her.

"_I…I lo-" He had started to say, but was interrupted when Mustang yelled at them._

"_Kararu, I lo-" He had started to say again, but then he was shot._

Kararu gasped, then slapped herself, the tears falling from her eyes. "STUPID!" She yelled, slapping herself again. She brought her hand up, but Mustang grabbed it to keep her from slapping herself yet again.

"Demon, what's wrong?" Mustang asked frantically, trying to figure out why she was acting the way she was.

"His eyes…th-they were s-so soft…his v-voice was…so g-gentle…" Kararu muttered, the tears still streaming down her face.

"Who?" Mustang asked, not letting go of her hand.

"ED!" Kararu yelled at him. "We were out on the battlefield and he tried to tell me twice that he loved me but was interrupted both times!" Kararu yelled angrily, yanking her hand away from Mustang's, gripping the two necklaces in one hand, snatching up the piece of cloth with the other.

"Kararu…" Mustang said, saying her name to her for the first time, everyone looking up at hearing the softness in his voice to see his eyes had turned soft and gentle. "I'm sorry…"

"W-when is th-the funeral?" Kararu asked.

No one answered her.

"Someone tell me when it is!" Kararu yelled.

"It was two days ago…" Hughes said quietly.

"You m-mean…I m-missed it?" Kararu whispered.

"We didn't know when you'd wake…we didn't think you ever would, to tell you the truth." Al said gently.

"Can…can you…all leave…for a m-moment?" Kararu asked, trying her best not to stammer.

"Yes. How long do you need?" Mustang asked after receiving silent confirmation from the others.

"Just…just a f-few…minutes…" Kararu said, whipping the tears from her face, forcing herself to keep from breaking down until they had left the room.

"All right." Mustang said, everyone standing and heading to the door except for him. He waited until they had left, then looked back at Kararu. His eyes were soft, and Kararu looked up at him quietly.

"Are you…" She started, but her voice prevented her from continuing.

"Going to leave?" Mustang finished for her. She nodded, gulping to keep her tears back. "No." She looked up at him with pleading, tear-filled eyes; eyes that asked him to leave. "I'm not going to let you go through this alone."

He sat down on the bed next to her and did the most uncharacteristic thing Kararu had ever seen him do in all the years she had known him: he hugged her. She sat there in shock for a moment, then the tears started to fall. Her shoulders shook in silent sobs, which soon turned into loud ones. She broke down into Mustang's arms, remembering that this was the way that her father used to hold her when she was upset.

As she cried, Mustang whispered words of comfort into her ear, treating her as he would treat his own daughter if he had one. They sat there with Kararu crying into Mustang's chest until he looked down and noticed that she had cried herself to sleep. He smiled slightly, bringing a hand up to her face to whip the streams of tears from her cheeks. He slowly lifted her off of his lap and backed onto the bed, pulling the covers over her like they had been before.

He stood quietly; not making any loud noises that would wake Kararu, he walked over to the door, gave one more gentle look to Kararu, then opened the door and walked out.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

_Kararu looked around._

_"Where the hell…?" Kararu muttered, taking in her surroundings. She was in a field, flowers growing everywhere, a few trees here and there on a hill. She wanted to gag at the sight; she hated flowery places._

_She looked around, seeing someone standing on the other side of field, recognizing him instantly._

_"Ed!" Kararu yelled happily, then started to run after him, but no matter how fast she ran, it seemed like he was coming towards her in slow motion. When she finally reached him, he smiled at her and he spoke._

_"Kararu, I lo-" He said, but then fell to the ground, a pool of blood appearing around him. The flowers and grass beneath him withered and died, then it spread across the entire field until everything was dead. Kararu looked around to see someone with a sniper gun coming towards her. She was frozen in shock until he was standing right in front of her._

_"BASTARD!" Kararu yelled, grabbing the man by the neck and lifting him off the ground._

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Al, Shikou and Mustang were all sitting around Kararu's bed three hours after she had cried herself to sleep, and they were staring into space. Shikou was sitting in a chair at the end of the bed, Mustang was sitting in one next to Kararu's heart meter, and Al was sitting on the opposite side.

Suddenly, a loud yell filled the room.

"BASTARD!"

The next thing that Shikou and Al knew, Mustang was being lifted off of his feet by a pissed Kararu.

"Ka-Kararu, wha-" Mustang started, but gasped for air, his feet dangling off the ground. "I…I can't…breathe…"

"Kararu, stop!" Shikou yelled, jumping up and running over to try and wrench Kararu's hands off of Mustang, but her efforts were in vain.

"Kararu, you'll kill him!" Al yelled. He stood up, jumping on the bed to pull Kararu back onto the bed, though that didn't work either.

"This man killed Edward." Kararu growled.

"No, he didn't Kararu!" Shikou said, trying everything possible to keep Mustang alive.

"Yes, he did, I saw it." Kararu said through grinding teeth.

"Kararu, he was with us! He couldn't have done it!" Al protested.

"He did."

"No, he didn't! Kararu, let him go, you'll kill him!" Al yelled, pulling on her harder.

"Kararu, he'll die!" Shikou yelled. When she said the word 'die', Kararu let go of Mustang, falling back onto the bed with Al holding her around the waist, sitting behind her. Mustang fell to the floor, gasping for air, a hand going up to massage his neck as he coughed and sputtered for air, Shikou kneeling down next to him.

"Oh God, what'd I do?" Kararu asked, looking down at Mustang to see him gasping for air. "Oh God…Oh God…" Her bottom lip trembled as tears welled up in her eyes, her shoulders starting to shake.

"Oh God…" She sank down onto the floor, crawling over towards Mustang, then thought better of it and scooted back until she was at the intersection between the bed and the wall, brought her arms around her knees once they were put against her chest and started crying.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

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Well, I guess it's not going to be a one shot then, huh? Well, I hope you all enjoy it! Sorry if I seem to be on a Fullmetal Alchemist craze, but I am right now…heh…sorry guys!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

Don't forget to click that little button and leave a review!


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, as most of you know from the end of chapter one, this is definitely not going to be a one shot, right? Also, just so everyone knows, they _**NEVER FOUND**_ Ed's body. All they found was a piece of his jacket and a necklace that Kararu had given him, one identical to another she wore. Just wanted to get that clear. I'm going to let you read now! Have fun!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 2**

Hughes ran down the hall from the waiting room when he had seen a few doctors and a pair of security guards running into Kararu's room. When he was almost to the room, he saw Al walking out, supporting Mustang.

"What the hell…?" Hughes whispered, seeing Mustang breathing heavily, his neck having bruises in the shape of fingers starting to form. "Are you all right Roy?"

Mustang opened his mouth and was about to speak, but when he breathed in he gave a hard cough and shook his head, gasping as best he could for air.

"Don't speak Mustang…" Al said softly. "Let's find somewhere for you to sit before you pass out from lack of oxygen…"

Hughes quickly ran to Mustang's other side, Mustang giving him 'the look'. He knew that Mustang hated help like this, but hell, he was injured and in no condition to argue. They got him across the hall to where there was a waiting bench, and they set him down on it.

"What happened?" Hughes asked, gently rubbing Mustang on the back to help him breathe.

"Kararu…tried to…strangle me…" Mustang said, coughing again to try and breathe.

"And it seems she did a damn good job of it, too." Hughes said, looking at the marks on his neck.

"She had a bad dream." Al confirmed. "She remembered when…when the soldier shot…shot Brother…"

Hughes sighed. "Painful memories never die." Hughes said, then looked at Mustang. "Seems you were the closest target to her…I'll bet if Al had been sitting where you were, she would have grabbed him…same with Shikou."

Mustang nodded, not daring speak unless he had too. All eyes shot up when they heard a straight beep sound coming from inside of Kararu's room. The trio sat in shock, not knowing what was going on. They stared at the door, and Shikou ran out, gasping, "Kararu's heart just failed!"

Al's eyes went wide, Mustang and Hughes turning to look at each other's pale faces.

Al jumped up and ran towards the room, running in just in time to hear someone yell, "CLEAR!"

A loud thump was heard, and the straight beep turned into steady even ones. He sighed in relief, as did Shikou and Hughes who had just run in. They turned to the door to see Mustang leaning heavily against the frame, a look of relief on his face as well.

"Damn, I wish she'd stop scaring us…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxThree Days Laterxx**

"Kararu's out of the hospital?" Hughes asked, surprised. "Already?"

"Yes…even though she had another 'dream' episode a day ago, they think she'll do better…" Mustang said, rubbing his neck where bruises were still going strong.

"And let me guess…the first place she's going is Edward's grave, right?"

"Right." Mustang sighed. "I just…I don't know what she's going to do…"

"Roy…I know it's a very touchy subject with you but…what if Edward wasn't really dead?"

"Hughes, must we ta-"

"Yes, we must talk about this Roy! Just think for one minute that Edward was still alive out there somewhere! What would you do?"

Mustang sighed heavily. "I'd use all means necessary to get him back."

"Would you do it…for her as well? Do anything to get her back to the way she was?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I would Maes!"

"Then start looking for him. I'm afraid that if we don't make ends meet this time…we're going to loose her as well."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu stared down at the grave, her eyes seeming soulless, bags having appeared under her eyes from lack of sleep.

"Oh Ed…" Kararu whispered, falling to her knees to look at the headstone.

**Edward Elric**

**1899-1917**

**Brigadier General**

**Loving Brother and Caring Friend**

**Be Thou For the People Always**

Kararu gulped, tears forming in her eyes, hollow of any emotion but sadness.

"How can I go on…? How do I live without you?" She asked, gripping the two pendants she now wore on her neck at all times. "Why does one little thing have to change everything?"

"Why didn't I understand sooner that you loved me…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxThe Next Dayxx**

Al walked to the graveyard, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He reached Ed's grave and looked down to see Kararu leaning against it, fast asleep. Al sighed, putting the flowers on the grave, then walked over to Kararu and gently picked her up. He looked around, then headed back to the Rockbell residence, where everyone was staying.

Mustang and Pinako had finally gotten past their past differences and were being very civil with each other since Ed's funeral, where Pinako had seen him cry. Hughes and Al gathered wood and transmuted a new series of rooms onto the Rockbell house, now used as guest rooms.

Al walked inside, Kararu slumped against his chest as she slept. Mustang and Hughes both shot from their chairs at seeing her, but Al just smiled at them and shook his head, meaning she was fine. Mustang and Hughes sat down, a sigh of relief escaping their lips, Mustang coughing lightly.

Al walked over to the couch, lightly setting Kararu down on it, walking over to the two.

"I found her at Ed's grave…she was asleep when I got there." He whispered to them.

"Well, that's where she would be, isn't it?" Mustang asked.

"So that's where she was last night." Hughes mused.

"Yeah…but we still need to watch her." Al said, sighing, then looked over at her worriedly. "Has she eaten at all in the past few days?"

"Well…it seems like she's eating half of her plate just to please us…I think she's never hungry…I walked in on her crying yesterday morning." Mustang said, sighing.

"I don't think she's really slept at all since she woke up from her coma…without the nightmares, I mean…" Hughes whispered.

"Right now, actually, all we can do is try to help her…"

"But how can we, Roy? She and Ed were…"

"Best friends?" Mustang asked.

Hughes shook his head. "No, Roy…they were in love…apparently, you don't remember her words from when she woke up…"

Mustang then nodded his head. "Oh…we were all…very close to Edward…"

"Not as close as she was…" Hughes said with a sigh.

"But still…we all worry…we care about her, but she just can't seem to figure that out…" Al muttered.

"You know, I can hear every single word your saying." A voice said from the couch. The trio flinched, then turned to look over at Kararu, who was now awake and glaring at them. "I'm going up to my room." She said grudgingly, then quickly stood and walked out.

All the guys turned to look at one another, then flinched when they heard a door slam. They looked at the floor, all muttering grudgingly at the same time, "Smooth…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxLater That Dayxx**

"Anyone seen Kararu?" Mustang asked. "It's time for dinner…" Everyone shook their head. "I'll go find her…" He said with a sigh.

He walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. "Kararu?" He called. He walked into her bedroom to see her sitting on her bed, staring blankly at the wall, tears streaming down her cheeks. Other than that, she made no move; she didn't even show that she knew he was there. "Kararu, it's time for-"

"I'm not hungry." She interrupted him.

"But Kararu, if you don't eat, you'll-"

"Get sick and die?" She finished for him. "Good. I want it that way."

"Kararu, no. You have to live."

"Why?" She asked, still not looking at him, the wall seeming interesting to her as she seemed to keep staring at it.

"You have to live on for Edward's image. He wouldn't want to see you like this." Mustang whispered, coming over. He sat on the end of the bed next to her, a hand going out to rest on her shoulder. She flinched back from his touch, finally turning to him. She glared, standing.

"Why won't you people just leave me alone!" She screamed. Mustang sat in shock at her sudden outburst.

"Kararu, what're you-"

"Don't you understand that I just want to be left alone to die?" Kararu yelled, staying where she was for the moment. "Everyone here is so stupid! You won't listen to me! I'm not hungry; I don't want to do anything; I JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE! WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"

Kararu then took off out the door, crying.

"Kararu, where are you going?" Mustang yelled after her, jumping off the bed after the initial shock of her yelling at him so forcibly wore off. He ran down the stairs and down to the kitchen, everyone running to the door as he came by.

"What's wrong? We heard her yelling and-" Hughes started, but Mustang had no time for talking.

"Did you see where she went?" Mustang asked urgently, stopping just long enough to get an answer.

"No, what's wrong?" Hughes asked.

Mustang shook his head, motioning for Hughes and Shikou to come with him.

They ran after him as he took off again, everyone else looking after them in confusion.

"What's going on?" Hughes asked as they dashed out of the house.

"I don't know what's wrong! I just walked in to tell her it was time for dinner and she just started yelling!" Mustang said.

"Then she took off out the door! Damn, now I wish she hadn't been made into a quarter chimera!" He said.

He remembered that she had been a lab project at Laboratory 5 before they let her go after succeeding with their goal. They had been trying to create chimeras that looked like humans, and they were successful with her, then threw her out, leaving her with dog-ears…and with the ability to transmute her body into a demon-like state.

"Did you see which direction she went in?" Shikou asked.

"No…get into wolf form and find her scent!" Mustang said.

Shikou nodded, then stopped and ran her hand over the transmutation circle she had on her hand, then her figure changed into a large white, blue tinted wolf. She put her nose to the ground and Mustang and Hughes stopped to watch. After a minute the wolf turned back into Shikou and she pointed.

"Over there?" Mustang asked. Shikou nodded. "All that's over there is the remains of Ed and Al's…old……home…" Mustang said, then took off again, the others staring after him before they ran to catch up, but he was running faster than either could at the moment.

Mustang, after ten minutes of running, finally made it to the remains, running around until he saw what he thought he would.

He saw Kararu with a piece of chalk, redrawing the human transmutation circle on the ground, which was still amazingly there after all the years of weathering it had to go through. Just as he was about to reach her she threw the chalk to the side.

Mustang noticed that there was a pile of ingredients in the middle of the circle. She was about to lay her hands on it when Mustang grabbed her from behind.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed, trying to beat his arms off of her as he picked her up and pulled her away from the circles.

"Kararu, what do you think your doing!"

"Let me go…I want Ed back! Please, just let me go!" She screamed.

"Kararu…you can't have him back." Mustang said, not even looking up as Shikou and Hughes finally made it to the remains of the Elric estate.

"Please…just let me do this…I want him back…I need him!" She said.

"Kararu, no." He said, shaking his head.

"Please…you don't understand…please…just…let me do this…" She said.

"I can't let you."

"Won't you just leave me alone and let me decide what to do with my life!" She yelled angrily.

"Kararu…come on, please listen to me."

"NO! I WON'T LISTEN!"

"Kararu, Edward's not coming back. You have to let him go."

"NO! I r-refuse…to believe that!"

"Listen…come on, let's go back."

"No…I'm not going back there…"

"Why?"

"Ed…Ed was there…everything reminds me of him…" Kararu said, then she started to cry, shoving her face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to yell at you like that…I'm sorry…"

"Shh…shh, it's okay…" Mustang whispered, gently rocking her back and forth.

"Come on…let's go back." Shikou whispered softly, coming up behind Mustang.

"I'm not going back!" Kararu screamed, her eyes angry, then a moment later they turned soft and confused again. "I'm sorry Shikou…I…I didn't mean that…"

"I know."

"Come on…we can go get a room at the hotel in town." Hughes offered.

"As long as nothing there will remind me of Ed…" Kararu said, standing, Mustang right behind her.

"All right. Come on, let's go put you to bed…you need it." Mustang told her.

Kararu nodded, allowing Mustang to lead her by the shoulders back towards the town area.

Shikou and Hughes stayed and looked around, Shikou spotting the circle.

"Hughes…what's this?" She asked, pointing to the circle.

"Hmm?" Hughes asked, turning around to look. He looked, his eyes widening in shock. "No…she couldn't have…"

"What is it, Hughes?" Shikou asked, confused.

"She…she tried…no, she wouldn't have…" Hughes whispered.

"What? I don't really get it…" Shikou said, then looked closer at the circle design. She stared at it in utter horror. "No…she wouldn't do that…she wouldn't try it…she has enough sense not to…"

"Are you so sure of that?" Hughes asked her.

"What?" Shikou asked.

"Are you sure that she has enough sense? She's been acting strange ever since…ever since she woke up after the battle." Hughes said.

"I don't understand…what are you getting at?" Shikou asked.

"I'm not sure that Kararu has enough sanity left to understand what's right and what's wrong."

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I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm sorry that it took so long to update, but I got really bad writers block after the part where Kararu ran up to her room angrily half way through…I'm sorry, and I hope you all enjoyed it!

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	3. Chapter 3

I think it's about time for an update...what about you guys?**  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 3**

Mustang jolted awake at the sound of an explosion.

"Just _peachy_!" Mustang growled, quickly rolling off the bed and onto his feet just to fall back onto the mattress as the hotel shook beneath him with the accompaniment of a loud boom.

"Kararu!" Mustang yelled once the shaking ceased. He got to his feet and quickly ran into the hall, his heart skipping a beat to see that Kararu's door was open. He dashed towards it, looking in through the doorway to find it empty.

He had to grab onto the doorframe behind him as the building shook again.

_"How the hell'd they get bombs!"_ Mustang thought, waiting desperately for the shaking to stop. As soon as it did, he ran to the room Hughes was staying in.

"Maes, it's a bomb raid!" Mustang yelled to the man sitting up in the bed, looking royally confused.

"This is just what we needed!" Hughes said as he pulled his feet out from under the sheets.

"What do you expect!" Shikou yelled as she ran in. "We're in the middle of a war!"

"Here's something else you're not going to like!" Mustang yelled over another loud boom.

"What's that?" Hughes asked as they started to make their way over to the door.

"Kararu's not in her room!"

"Now this is _really_ what I needed! A bomb raid and someone missing the middle of the night!" Hughes grumbled as they started to run down the hall.

"Incoming!" Shikou yelled, hearing the whistling of a bomb with her sensitive hearing. They all grabbed onto a doorframe just in time to feel the building rattle and shake beneath them.

"Where would Kararu go?" Hughes yelled over to the others while they waited for the shaking to stop.

"I don't know! She was upset last night and she said she…no, no she wouldn't!" Mustang yelled, then took off down the still shaking hall, running down the stairs, Shikou and Hughes looking at each other before going after him.

"What's going on Roy?" Hughes yelled.

"She said that she just wanted to die!" Mustang yelled as he ran for the door to the inn.

"Where are you going? You can't go out there; not in the middle of a bomb raid!" Shikou yelled.

"I have to go to find her! If Edward is still alive, I'm already dead for not being able to help her, but he'd have my head for sure if I let her get killed!" Mustang yelled back.

"But why would she do this?" Shikou asked.

"She loves him. She just wants him back." Hughes answered.

Mustang ran out the door without them, continuing to run as a bomb exploded near him. He almost lost his balance, but managed to stay up before taking off again.

He ran to the top of a hill that overlooked the Elric and Rockbell estates, and was almost there when he saw a figure just standing there.

"Kararu!" Mustang yelled just as another bomb exploded…right where Kararu was standing. "NO!"

He had to shield his face with his arms, a few rocks flying to hit his arms, then fall to the ground. When they stopped falling, he opened his eyes and saw the cloud of dust around him.

When it settled a minute or two later, he quickly ran to the top of the hill to see that no one was there.

"No, dammit! I'm not going to loose her, too!" Mustang yelled angrily, frantically searching for Kararu around the hill, bombs still exploding around him.

Hughes was running around searching for her too until a bomb hit too close for comfort.

"Roy, we need to get back to the Rockbell residence and make sure that everyone's safe in the cellar!" He yelled.

"No! I'm not going to let Kararu die out here!" Mustang yelled stubbornly.

"Roy! Let's go!" Hughes yelled, another bomb hitting a few feet away from them. "Come on, you'll get killed!"

"I'm not leaving!" Mustang yelled as he continued to search.

"Roy, I'm really sorry about this…" Hughes said as he came up behind Mustang.

"Sorry about wha-" Mustang started, but suddenly felt himself get punched forcefully in the stomach, effectively forcing him to the ground as he was stunned.

"That." Hughes said, picking up Mustang just before he lost consciousness. "Shikou, let's get back!" He yelled over to the wolf that was helping them search.

The wolf ran over, motioning for Hughes to put Mustang onto her back with her tail, then for him to get on as well. Hughes nodded and then set Mustang down, getting on behind him.

The wolf took off, leaving behind the land of destruction that wouldn't be recognizable by morning.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxThe Next Morningxx**

Havoc slowly came out of the cellar, looking around. The house was amazingly still intact, but everything around it…was destroyed.

He called the others out to help him clear rubble to make a path up to the house, knowing it was safe since the bombs had stopped a few hours before.

Hughes, Al, Shikou, Hawkeye, Pinako and Winry all came out from the cellar, looking around with rather depressed expressions as they started to help Havoc clean up a bit. After an hour they managed to create a path, and Hughes went back into the cellar to collect Mustang, who was still out cold from being knocked out a few hours before.

Once inside, Winry and Pinako went into the kitchen to fix their weary friends breakfast.

"What hit me?"

All eyes shifted over to the couch to see Mustang sitting up, rubbing his stomach.

"I did." Hughes answered from his seat a few feet away.

"Why?" Mustang asked, shifting to a more comfortable position on the cushions.

"We were in the middle of a bomb raid, and all you could think about was-"

"Kararu! Where is she?" Mustang asked, looking around frantically. "Did she come back?" He asked.

Everyone averted their eyes.

"I…I guess not…" He whispered. He stood. "All right. I'm going to search the bomb field to see if I can find her. Anyone who wants to, come and help." Mustang said, then walked to the door without waiting for a reply.

Al, Hawkeye, Havoc, Hughes and Shikou all looked at each other, then nodded and quickly stood, following, Al calling back to the others, "We're going to search the bomb field! We'll be back!"

Once outside, Mustang started to look everywhere for any sign of Kararu. He knew that he couldn't loose her…not now. He was determined to find her…find something, at least, that would lead him to her.

As he searched, he saw something poking out from under a pile of dirt. He quickly ran over, seeing a piece of shining metal peaking out through a hole in the earth around it.

His heart racing, he quickly started to shovel the dirt over to the side. He dug faster, and a few minutes later, he couldn't believe what he saw.

He fell to his knees, his eyes wide, too shocked to move or call the others over.

"Roy! Have you found anything?" Hughes called, seeing Mustang kneeling. When he didn't move, Hughes came over, his eyes widening as well.

"EVERYONE! GET OVER HERE!" Hughes yelled. The information of what he had just found finally sunk in and he fell to the ground as he promptly fainted.

On the ground before him…was Edward Elric.

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"Yes! The plan is working!" The woman exclaimed with a triumphant cheer, her lavender eyes lit with glee. Behind her, the door opened and a woman stepped through.

"Lady Dante, we have her ready downstairs, and Envy is ready as well." She said, her grayish brown eyes glittering evilly.

"Wonderful! I shall accompany you back down, Sloth. Everyone here has done so well…I think it's time to have some fun to get what we want…the ultimate weapon." Dante said with a grin, then turned to walk out the door, her maroon dress swishing around her ankles as she walked.

Once downstairs, Dante grinned evilly, Sloth opening the door ahead of her for her. Dante walked through, seeing a figure sitting in a chair.

"All right, what the hell do you want from me!" The girl growled.

"Oh, there's no need to be feisty, little girl." Dante said with a soft smile.

"Shut up and answer my question!" She said, her tone low and that of a demon.

"Oh…no wonder they call you Demon…Miss Kararu." Dante grinned, knowing that she was going to have fun messing with this girl's mind.

"Wha…how do you know my name!" Kararu asked in shock as she tried to escape the restraints of the chair.

"You will know in due time, Miss Kararu…but for now, just try to relax. The chains on that chair are unbreakable, and alchemy proof, so your circleless alchemy won't do you any good…even if you _could_ clap your hands at the moment." Dante grinned.

"Wha…what are you saying?" Kararu asked.

"Just look…someone's here to see you." Dante said, motioning to the door in front of Kararu. It opened and Kararu's eyes snapped to it.

"M-Mustang?" Kararu gasped.

"Demon, you are a disgrace to the military." Mustang snapped at her.

"But…what are you talking about?" Kararu asked, sudden guilt hitting her full force like a forceful slap to the cheek.

"I knew you were never meant for us. You're just worthless. Pathetic…I only let you join the ranks because I felt sorry for you. I knew you would get killed in battle, or at least taken as a prisoner of war." He growled. "You're just a waste of my time! The military doesn't need you anymore…just go home!"

"But…how can I do that if I have no home?" Kararu asked.

"JUST GO!" Mustang yelled.

"You know what? I'm getting so sick of your crap!" Kararu yelled at him.

Dante grinned. This is just what she wanted. _"Now…just a little bit longer…and she'll loose all control over her anger…and soon, with everyone else that Envy can change into, she'll loose control to her anger…and with all the power she's capable of…she'll be the new Goddess of Alchemy, and I can use her against the military in this forsaken war!"_

"Kararu, you are just a waste of my time!" Mustang said.

"You know what? I always knew you were like this! I'm getting sick of your touchy-lovey crud on me! You never respected me, or know what I've been through! You never really understood what they did to me in Laboratory Five! I knew that you were going to crack sooner or later! And yes, I HATE YOU TOO!" Kararu yelled. She then got a shocked look on her face as she realized what she had just said.

"What did I do?" Kararu whispered. Mustang then turned and walked out of the room. "What did I just do?"

"That's what you've been holding in, dear." Dante told her.

"Holding in?" Kararu repeated.

"That's right. There's no telling what else you have cooped up in that brain of yours. Your love is gone…what use do you have to live for? Why not go ahead and let it out before you let yourself die?" Dante asked, then the door opened again and this time Hughes walked in.

"Uncle Hughes…don't tell me that you hate me too…" Kararu whispered.

"Uncle? I seriously doubt that. I'd never treat you like any family of mine, after everything that you've done!" Hughes snapped. "And why should I tell you I don't hate you? Would it put your silly fears to rest? I don't see why you just don't shut up!"

"Uncle Hughes…why are you doing this?" Kararu asked, not knowing that it wasn't Hughes standing before her. She thought that each person that came in was real; she didn't know that every person was just Envy, coming in after changing his appearance each time.

"Why am I doing this? Because you are a disgrace to everyone and everything around you!" Hughes said. "No one likes you! Everyone hates you! The only reason Edward said he loved you was because he felt sorry for you!"

"You little liar!" Kararu yelled, not knowing where her anger came from. Where it was really coming from, though, was from her being on the edge of her sanity.

"Edward and I love each other! You wouldn't understand a thing like that! I hate you as well! I knew you never loved me, but I thought that deep down you did! Edward doesn't hate me! He loves me more than I could ever imagine!" Kararu yelled.

Before Hughes turned to walk out, he said something that made Dante laugh in her mind, knowing that it would make Kararu wonder…and when the time came, to let her rage out on the illusions that Envy created for her.

"Are you so sure about that?"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"HE'S ALIVE?" Winry shrieked.

"Winry, keep your voice down!" Hughes said, trying to keep her from waking Mustang from his dead faint.

"I'm sorry…I'm just…I didn't think he would be alive…after all this…" She said.

"I know…I didn't think we'd find Edward alive either, but…"

"Did you…did you find Kararu?" Winry asked. Hughes averted his eyes and shook his head sadly. "I guess not…"

"When I last saw her, last night…she was on the verge of insanity…I'm afraid that she didn't have enough sanity to tell right from wrong." He said.

"You…you mean…"

"She's dead? I don't know." He said with a shrug. "We can't give up now…not now that Edward's alive." He said. "But finding him gives me hope."

Winry nodded. "That just means that he wasn't taken as a POW…" She said.

Hughes shook his head. "Not entirely. He reappeared at least a mile or two away from where he disappeared on the battlefield." He sighed. "He still has the bullet wound from when he was shot…but other than that, he's in perfect health…other than being in a coma." He said.

"So…so he might never wake up?" She asked.

Hughes nodded. "That is possible…but we won't be able to give him the medical attention that he needs. The hospital was destroyed during last nights bomb raid, and the tracks on the railway were destroyed by the rebels…there's no telling what could happen now."

As if waiting for someone to mention anything could happen, a small groan came from the room Ed was in. Winry and Hughes looked at each other, then both ran for the bedroom.

They ran in to see Ed sitting up, looking around at everything with bleary, slow-focusing eyes.

They smiled at him, Ed looking around, then saw them. His expression became one of fear and worry.

"Where's Kararu?"

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	4. Chapter 4

All right, I can't stop writing on this story…I can't help it…

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 4**

"Where's Kararu?" Ed repeated, his voice full of worry and concern, his expression showing as much, if not more.

"Well…you see, Edward…" Hughes started.

"She's dead…isn't she?" Ed asked.

"Well, we don't know that yet." Hughes said.

"How can you not know if a person's dead or not?" Ed asked. He wanted answers right then, and didn't want to stand for a guess.

"Ed, to start off with, you've been missing for two weeks." Winry cut in.

"Say what? What about Kararu?" Ed asked worriedly.

"I'm getting to that. I'm going to go over everything that's happened." Winry said. "Mr. Hughes will take over for the parts that I don't know or miss."

"Two weeks ago, you all went into a battle a few miles away from here. While there, you and Kararu were caught in an explosion, and you were shot. After that, we have no details for you. We found Kararu trapped under a large boulder, and she was of course unconscious. It turned out that she had been shot with a paralyzing dart.

"A week after the battle she woke up, wanting to know where you were. We had thought you were dead, seeing as we found a piece of your jacket and-" Winry said, but was interrupted by Ed.

"My necklace!" He cried, putting his hand to his neck to find it was gone.

"Yes, we found it. We had presumed you dead, so…we had a funeral two days before she woke up. Kararu flipped out, suddenly taken over by grief. Slowly, over the past week, she's lost most of her sanity, almost to insane to tell the difference between right and wrong. Now, this is the part that I don't know the details to." Winry said.

Hughes nodded, then sighed. "Yesterday evening, Mustang went in to tell her it was time for dinner when she suddenly started yelling. She tore out of the house, Mustang, Shikou and I running after her.

"Mustang found her at your old estate, drawing over the old human transmutation circle that was still slightly visible on the ground. He managed to convince her not to do it, but when he said that they were going home, she refused, saying that she couldn't live without you, and everything there reminded her of you. So, the four of us went to stay at the inn, where all hell started to break loose as a bomb raid started.

"Mustang ran into Kararu's room to find her missing, and he was hell bent on finding her. That's…when she disappeared. He saw her at the top of a hill one moment, then a bomb exploded and when the dust disappeared…she was gone. He still searched, and it got to the point where I had to knock him out to bring him back with us so he wouldn't get killed.

"We went out this morning after the raid was over, and we were searching for Kararu…but we found you instead, with no visible whereabouts of Kararu anywhere." Hughes finished.

Ed had stayed silent through the explanation, staring down at his hands. Suddenly, the door burst open and Havoc ran in.

"Hughes, I found these outside!" He said, holding out two objects.

"Oh no…no…" Hughes muttered as he took them. It was two silver chains with the pendants that Kararu had been wearing.

"Where did you find this?" Hughes asked.

"Right under where Edward was found, sir." Havoc answered.

"This can't be a coincidence…could it?" Hughes asked.

"It's possible it's not…but then again, when do you find a person's necklaces at the same place where someone different was found?" Havoc asked.

"I don't know…I seriously don't know…" Hughes whispered, handing the necklaces to Ed.

Ed stared down at them, his eyes welling up with tears as did so. "She…she's gone…" Ed whispered, his voice cracking.

"No…no, Edward. We'll find her!" Hughes said.

"Yeah, we will!" Winry said.

"Don't worry kid…we'll find Kararu." Havoc reassured him.

"I don't think so." Ed said as she shook his head. "I wasn't able to save her…"

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Kararu stared at the door, wondering who was going to come in and tell her their true feelings next. It opened, and in walked one of the two people Kararu didn't want to see. It was Shikou.

"Shikou…please say that you're not going to tell me what I think you are…" Kararu said. Her best friend since they were little, her family, her sister in all but blood…she didn't think she'd be able to bear it if her only family hated her.

"What? Afraid to know what I think?" Shikou asked softly.

Kararu looked up, shaking her head frantically, not wanting Shikou to think her weak in any way, even though they both knew the others secrets, weaknesses and strengths.

"Oh, it's okay, 'Raru." Shikou said, then sneered. "I'm not going to sugarcoat anything for you. Everything I say is going to be the straight and simple truth. You are worthless. Ever since I met you, I knew that. The only reasons I became your friend was because you didn't have any and that you were weak and almost too pathetic to even _look_ at. You were never meant to be any kind of use to this world, so why don't you just die?" Shikou asked angrily.

"I…I want to…" Kararu whispered, looking at the floor in shame. "Why do you do this Shikou?"

Shikou laughed. "You want to know why?" She asked, walking over. She grabbed Kararu's chin and got right in her face, saying, "Because all's fair in love and war, doll. Hates a type of love, I'll have you know." Shikou said, throwing Kararu's chin away, knocking her head to the side before she stepped back.

"**_Tell her what you really think. Channel your depression into rage."_** A voice said in Kararu's mind.

"You know what Shikou? I'm getting so sick and tired of everyone coming in to tell me what a waste of the world I am!" Kararu yelled.

"Oh, just shut up, you're wasting your breath."

"Why don't YOU shut up? I hate you! And everyone else! It seems that no matter what I do, I can't seem to please _anyone_! Well you know what? I'm just going to hate everyone!…except for Ed…" Kararu yelled angrily, whispering the last part. Shikou sneered again, then turned and walked out of the room without another word.

"**_That was wonderful!"_** The voice in her head said.

Kararu sat back in her chair, her eyes betraying her utter horror and shock. "Where…where is all this rage coming from?" She whispered.

"**_It's just what you've held inside for all these years." _**The voice answered.

"But…I've never felt this much rage at one time before…" Kararu whispered.

"_**That's because it's been building up in your heart. It's quite easy to do."**_

"Who are you?"

"_**The little voice in your head. You never really needed me until now."**_

If Kararu had been truly sane, she would realize that the voice she was hearing wasn't her own, but Dante's.

Dante knew that Kararu's sanity was leaving her, so she quickly had to find a way to make her rage, her strongest emotion, come out into the open. The only way Dante knew it was possible was to use the illusion of her loved ones…in a whole different sense.

"**_There's just one more person here to see you."_** The voice said.

"_And soon…you will be the ultimate weapon as you loose all control to your rage…and all you can do is watch helplessly while you do what I say!"_ Dante thought with glee.

The door opened and Kararu's heart dropped into her stomach.

"Ed…please, don't…" Kararu whispered at seeing him walk in to stop before her chair.

"Kararu, it's okay. Really." Ed said, walking over to her chair. He leaned down and she closed her eyes, thinking he was about to kiss her.

A moment later her head shot to the side, her arms jolting against the shackles and chains. She looked up at Ed, her cheek throbbing.

"What was _THAT_ FOR?" Kararu screamed, knowing he had just slapped her.

"For being an idiot." Ed said.

"Ed…you wouldn't really-"

"You are so stupid, Kararu. To think, I almost asked you to marry me. I'm just too good for you. You are an idiot; you're worthless! I knew that you were just a piece of scum the moment I met you!"

"ED! _THAT DOES IT_!" Kararu screamed, finally snapping.

Dante grinned with glee as she saw Kararu's eyes loose their soulfire, yet Kararu was still conscious and very much alive…but it wasn't the Kararu everyone knew…and they probably wouldn't ever see the old one again.

"_YOU_ are the idiot! I've had it with everyone just telling me what a waste of space I am! I swear, everyone I thought I knew and loved has turned against me! I will never love again, or try to trust anyone! NEVER!" Kararu yelled.

Ed just sneered and walked out of the door.

"**_Just calm down."_** The voice in Kararu's head told her. Immediately she listened to the voice, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

"**_Now…someone will release you. When they do, you will not attack them, will you?" _**The voice asked her.

"No, I won't." Kararu said, her voice like a monotone.

"_**When you're free, test your skills of alchemy. Go find a piece of chalk and have fun."**_

"I don't need chalk. Not anymore."

"_**Oh, well good. Just go have fun then."**_

"All right."

Dante walked over and unchained and unshackled Kararu's wrists and feet, grinning when Kararu didn't do anything to her.

"**_Show me what you can do."_** The voice said**_. "Actually, go outside."_**

Kararu nodded, then she headed for the door. Dante followed her up the stairs and outside, then Kararu stood there like waiting for something.

"**_I want you to test your skills…make an army fit for a queen."_** Dante told her, Kararu still confusing that for the little voice in her head.

Kararu nodded, clapping her hands together. She knelt and put them on the ground.

A moment later, the ground shook beneath her and Dante, then the ground a few feet away from them started to disappear as it started to reshape itself above the ground.

Dante's eyes widened in shock as she watched the scene unfold before her. A minute later, her jaw started to slacken and drop as she watched. A moment later, Kararu stopped and stood.

"Is that good?"

"**_It's wonderful."_** Dante answered, looking at the army of moving armor that Kararu had created from the ground beneath them. **_"We will strike back…won't we now…our new Goddess?"_**

"I'm a Goddess?" Kararu asked.

"**_Yes. Don't you understand that? Everyone and everything is at your mercy."_** Dante told her.**_ "Turn around and look at your followers."_** Dante said, and with a wave of her hand, all the Homunculi, along with her newest additions to the crew, appeared behind her.

Dante stopped the connection to Kararu as her 'little voice' for now, but would become that voice a bit later on.

"We pledge our allegiance to you, our leader and Goddess." They all said as one, kneeling on the ground to bow to her.

Kararu grinned evilly in her current state.

"Well…let's have some fun getting revenge, why don't we?"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As Ed sat there, talking to Winry, he suddenly felt something run down his face.

Winry stopped talking and looked, watching something fall.

He reached up a hand and felt something wet on his cheek. He pulled it away, seeing only clear liquid.

"I'm…crying?" Ed whispered. "Why am I crying?"

"Maybe…maybe…no, that's not possible…Mustang whispered, who had woken up an hour before.

"What?" Ed asked, looking over as more tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Maybe…you just felt the life of your love slowly dying…" Mustang whispered. "Or, maybe her sane part is finally dead…" He whispered.

"NO! I'm not going to believe that Kararu is dead!" Ed yelled angrily, then reached a hand up to his head.

"Ed? What's wrong?" Winry asked, seeing him wince and hold his head.

"My…head is…pounding…" Ed muttered, then he fell back on the pillows.

"Ed? ED!" Winry yelled, shaking his shoulders. "Ed, wake up!"

Mustang quickly came over, looking at Ed. "He's unconscious." He said. "Come on, Winry, let's go tell the others."

Winry nodded, tears in her eyes. "What's wrong with him, though?" She asked, following him out of the room.

"I'm not sure…" Mustang said. He then proceeded to go around, gathering everyone into the living room.

"All right…Edward's unconscious again…he knows nothing of the two weeks he was missing for. Kararu is missing. We need to decide what to do…and I think our best course of action would be to look for Kararu."

"Mustang, do you realize that we're probably looking for something that's been blown into bi-" Havoc started, but Mustang interrupted him.

"Yes, Havoc, I realize that, but I'm not believing it." He said stubbornly. "Now, who's with me?"

"You know I'm with you all the way, Mustang. You know I can't just let you go alone in case you die out there now, can I? I'm going." Shikou said as she stood, saluting Mustang.

"I'm not against it either." Al said. "Anything to help Brother get better." He stood as well.

"Well, Roy…what have you gotten us into this time…" Hughes whispered, standing after Al.

"I'll go with you as well, sir." Havoc said, standing.

"I can't just let you go out there without some gun protection now, can I?" Hawkeye asked, standing, cocking her previously loaded gun.

Mustang nodded. "All right, we've got a full team. I suggest we go out into the battlefield and…look…" Mustang said, turning to the window. His eyes widened, his mouth becoming useless in his shock.

"Roy? What's wrong?" Hughes asked, then looked out the window, his eyes widening as well. "Oh please no…"

"This has got to be fake…" Shikou whispered, running over to see.

"It's not…"

They all turned to see Ed leaning heavily against the doorframe. "If you're going, I'm going to." He said.

"But Brother…you're hurt, and-"

"I can still fight. I'm not going to let Kararu get killed because of some measly gunshot." He said stubbornly.

Mustang sighed. "All right…but take a look at this." Mustang said sadly, pointing outside.

Ed used the wall for support to walk over since his legs hadn't gotten used to the weight yet, looking out the window. His eyes widened. "Wha…? How could this happen?" He whispered. "When did the rebels get an alchemist?" Ed asked, shocked.

"I don't know…but there's no one in the armor…" Mustang said, having taken out a pair of binoculars. "Here, see for yourself." He handed them to Ed.

Ed put them to his eyes and scanned the armor. "You're right…they're moving on their own…" He said, then he and Mustang turned, walking towards the door.

"Well…good luck." Winry called after them worriedly.

"You kids better not get yourselves killed all right?" Pinako asked.

"We won't Granny!" Al said.

"Don't worry…you still gotta deal with me more before my time comes…trust me!" Ed said with that trademark toothy grin of his as they walked out the door, Ed being able to walk now without something to use as a crutch.

They stood, watching the armored figures walk towards them.

Ed grabbed the binoculars and looked over the army. "When did they get an alchemist on their side?" He wondered aloud again, then he caught something familiar out of the corner of his sight in the binoculars.

Mustang watched as Ed moved them over slightly, his eyes widening. He watched as Ed dropped the binoculars.

"Edward, what's wrong?" Mustang asked.

"T-take a look yourself…" Ed whispered. Mustang looked at him strange, then picked the binoculars off the ground.

"Where?" Mustang asked.

"At the top of the hill…" Ed whispered, pointing.

Mustang nodded, turning the lenses in the direction of the top of the hill, almost dropping them himself.

"No…it's can't be…" Mustang whispered.

There, standing at the top of the hill overlooking everything…was Kararu.

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**Illusion Maiden**

**beautifly92**

I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm spewing these chapters out as fast as I can! I love this story, for some weird reason, and I can't stop! I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!

Please don't forget to click that button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen and review! Thank you!


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, I know I left you in the brink of suspense and insanity, so I'll continue just for you guys, okay?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Spirit of Thunder owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 5**

"No…she wouldn't go there…would she?" Shikou asked in disbelief, taking the binoculars to see for herself. "It is her…but why?" Shikou asked.

"Let me see again." Ed said, taking the binoculars back. He looked at Kararu again. "That isn't the Kararu I know…her eyes are different…see for yourself." He said, holding them out for Mustang to take.

He took them, then looked at Kararu, nodding. "You're right…her eyes look like their soulless…and that definitely isn't what she was wearing when she disappeared…" He said.

"It isn't?" Ed asked, taking them back. He looked again, nodding as he saw her outfit. "Yeah…I've never seen her wear that before…and I've never seen her wear jewelry, either." Ed said. "She's always worn crimson and black, but I've never seen her wearing a leather shirt, or loose black pants with chains, and then…the silver bracelets and earrings she's wearing…and that crimson stone with the silver chain…never seen it. And it's not a Philosopher's Stone."

"I know…" Mustang said, looking at her outfit again. "But, we need to worry more about what we're going to do…we have to fight these things, and there are rebel's mixed in with the armor…"

"All right…I think that we should take down the rebels, and-" Hawkeye said, but Al interrupted her.

"I have a suggestion. I can transmute my soul into any armors that come near, and we can use them for our side." He said.

"All right, let's do that." Mustang said. "Now, you were saying, Hawkeye?" He asked.

"Yes, I was thinking that we should take down the rebels, and then go after the armors that Al hasn't gotten to yet." She suggested.

"I think that would be our best course of action for the moment. No one shoots Kararu or harms her in any way, got it?" He ordered.

"Yes sir!" They all said.

"And now you," He said, turning to Shikou, "I have something to say to you."

"And that would be-" Shikou said, but was interrupted when he pulled her close in a kiss. She almost melted at the touch, then when he pulled away a few minutes later she stared at him dazedly.

"Shikou Stone, I love you, and I always will. I wanted you to know that." Mustang said with a smile.

"And I love you too…" Shikou said, out of breath from the sudden kiss. "To hell with this!" She said, pulling out a gun to cock it with one hand and holding out a series of ninja stars in the other. "I'm gonna live!"

Mustang smiled softly, pulling her back into another kiss as he pulled on his gloves.

A gunshot was heard from the rebel's ranks, Shikou casually stepping to the side to dodge the bullet.

"That does it!" Mustang yelled. "Let's do this then." He reached forward with both hands and snapped, signaling that the battle had just begun.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu watched everything from her perch on the hill, Dante walking up behind her.

"I see things are going well, my Goddess." Dante said.

Kararu nodded. Her voice now had pitch and emotion, but her eyes were still that same, soulless color.

"They are. But…I can't wait to kick their asses." Kararu said.

"I know…but, for now, my Lady, we should watch what they're doing."

Kararu sighed. "I guess you're right."

Dante walked over to Kararu and knelt down, whispering into her ear, **_"Create a few bombs. We can use them a little later in the battle to catch them off guard, and we can also use them as a distraction."_**

Kararu nodded, clapping, and put her hands to the ground.

Dante watched as the ground around her hands disappeared, and bombs appeared instead, the ground beneath it. The reason: equivalent exchange.

"Are these good?" Kararu asked.

"_**These are perfect."**_

Dante stepped forward, picking one up. "They're much better quality than the ones we've been using."

"They better be good." Kararu said. "Especially in your eyes."

"They are, my Lady. Do not worry." Dante said, setting the bomb down gently.

"What are we going to do about them?" Kararu asked, pointing to the thirteen behind her.

"_**We will use them when the time comes. When we call, they will answer. You don't need to worry."**_

"All right." Kararu said, glaring down at the group who was fighting at the bottom of the hill, seeing a few of the armor suits turn against the others. "Al's using his soul…" She commented, then laughed. "I can use that against him!"

"How?" Dante asked.

"I can use alchemy to…wait, I don't have to tell you. I can just let you watch." Kararu said with an evil grin, then clapped her hands and put them on the ground, beckoning for one to come back. It came at her 'call' and she placed her hands on it, the armor glowing slightly for a moment.

Kararu nodded to it and it walked back to the group, grinning as it made its way back to the front of the line, waiting for Al to transmute his soul into it.

"Now, Alphonse…it's time for you to have some fun." Kararu said with an evil smirk.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Alphonse, how many times can you do that?" Hughes asked.

"Not many more…" Al said, clapping his gloved hands together again, setting them on a suit of armor. The armor turned around, heading towards the other suits, ready to attack.

"This will be the last one." He said. He clapped his hands and put it on the suit of armor, only instead of opening his eyes to see his outstretched hands on a suit of armor…he opened them to see _his_ body fall to the ground.

"Wha…what's going on!" Al yelled, hearing his voice have a metallic ring to it.

"Al!" Ed yelled, turning to see Al's body laying on the ground. He ran over, yelling, "Mustang, Shikou, cover for me," before reaching Al.

"You got it Edward!" Shikou yelled.

"Al…wake up!" Ed said, shaking Al's shoulders.

The suit of armor looked at Ed. "Brother…I'm in here…" The armor said, looking down at Ed; his voice had a metallic ring.

"Yeah, Al, I know, I have to wake him up…first…" Ed said, then whispered, realizing that he was listening to Al. "Alphonse?" Ed asked, looking up at the suit of armor.

"Brother…I'm in a suit of armor…" Al whispered.

"How!" Ed yelled, looking between Al's body and the suit of armor.

"I don't know, Brother! What am I going to do?" Al asked.

"What happened?" Ed asked.

"I don't know! I was transmuting pieces of my soul into suits of armor, and the next thing I knew, I was in here!" Al said, his voice starting to sound panicked.

"But…but that's impossible! You need a transmutation circle to attach your soul to the armor!" Ed said, starting to panic as well.

"What's going on over here?" Mustang asked as he ran over.

"Well…um…uh…" The suit of armor said.

"Alphonse is unconscious?" Mustang asked, snapping to keep the three from getting attacked.

"Yes!" Ed said.

"But I'm in the armor instead!" Al said, his voice panicked.

"But how is that possible?" Mustang asked.

"Neither of us know!" Ed said.

"I'm scared Brother…" Al said.

"There's no need to worry about it, Al." Mustang said. "I'm sure we'll figure this out." He said, snapping again.

"But…I don't want to be stuck in the armor again!" Al said, his voice choking up.

"Al…it's okay." Ed said, hugging Al's body in his arms. "Please…"

"All…all right…" Al said, his voice sounding like he was about to cry.

"Let's get our minds back on the battle for the moment, if you wouldn't mind! I don't know how much longer I can hold them off of you two!" Mustang said.

"Sorry sir!" Ed and Al both said at the same time.

"Here Ed…put…er…me in here…I'll protect myself, I guess…" The suit of armor said, putting it's hand behind it's head.

"All right." Ed said, then picked Al's unconscious body up. The suit of armor pulled open its chest plate and Ed gently set Al's body in, whispering, "I promise you'll be okay."

"I know Brother." Al said, then the two of them got into a similar fighting stance.

"Let's do it Al!" Ed yelled, then he and Al started to fight against the suits of armor.

"What's wrong?" Hawkeye asked as she managed to make it over near them while offering cover with her multiple guns.

"Al's soul is attached to the armor again!" Ed said, clapping his hands.

"How?" Hawkeye asked.

"Don't ask us! We don't know!" Ed answered.

"This is just perfect…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu watched the group, laughing maniacally.

"This is classic!" Kararu said through her laughter.

"What is it, my Lady?" Dante asked.

"I attached Al's soul to the armor." She answered.

"Why?"

"Do I have to explain myself to a mortal?" Kararu asked with a growl.

"No, my Lady."

"Good."

"_**Use the bombs."**_

Kararu nodded, lifting one of the bombs. She grinned evilly, then threw the bomb as hard as she could and the group.

"Whoops! My hand slipped!" Kararu said, watching the bomb fall. "And in a minute…BOOM!"

She watched it get closer and closer to the ground. "Have fun!"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

The group had just finished off the rebels that were mixed in with the armor when Shikou shouted.

"INCOMING!"

Everyone scattered, Ed and Mustang hiding behind Al.

An explosion took place a few feet away from the group, rocks and dirt flying everywhere.

When the dust settled, Ed and Mustang were the first people to look around.

"SHIKOU!" Mustang yelled, his eyes widening. He looked around frantically, trying to see her. "WHERE ARE YOU SHIKOU!"

Ed looked around. "She's not here?"

"No!" Mustang yelled, his eyes turning frantic. "Where is she? Where did she go?"

"Mustang, calm down, we'll find her!" Ed said, trying to calm him at least some.

"Damn them!" Mustang yelled, then turned towards the suits of armor. He snapped, the flames turning white from the heat.

Everyone threw themselves to the ground, coughing as a wave of heat came at them.

"Mustang…c-calm down…the flames are t-to hot!" Hughes gasped.

"But…they killed Shikou!" Mustang yelled, his bangs hiding his eyes.

"Mustang, calm down!" Havoc yelled.

Mustang whipped around and was about to yell at Havoc and the others for telling him to calm down during such a situation when he fell flat on his face, screaming his head off.

He looked down to see a hand sticking out of the dirt, holding his boot. His eyes widened as another hand popped out of the ground, digging around. A moment later, Shikou had half unburied herself from under the dirt.

"You…didn't…dig…for…me!" Shikou growled.

"Shikou…I'm sorry!" Mustang said, quickly reaching over to start digging her out with one hand while keeping the suits of armor away with flames with the other.

A minute later, Shikou was out from under the dirt, gasping for air, her clothes covered in a layer of thick earth.

"How'd you get trapped?" Mustang asked.

"I had to push Hughes out of the way…I got buried when the bomb exploded…" Shikou explained.

"This is just great…I know how they have bombs, now…" Mustang said.

"How?"

"One word for you: Kararu."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu grinned.

"That gave him a scare." Kararu said with a laugh. "Envy!" She yelled.

"Yes?" He asked, coming up behind her to kneel in respect.

"Get a few of these bombs and set them up in…well, you know the area, don't you?"

"Yes, of course my Lady." Envy said.

"Good. Now go." Kararu ordered.

"As you wish, my Lady." Envy said, then he seemed to disappear.

"Well…let's just see how many scares they can actually take." Kararu said with an evil smirk. "I have to torture them before I have my fun, shouldn't I?"

"_**Yes, have as much fun as you want. Just make sure you don't let them go."**_

"That is quite right, my Lady." Dante said.

"_**As soon as you are ready, tell Dante to give the signal. She'll know what to do."**_

"When I tell you to, give the signal, Dante. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Wonderful." Kararu grinned.

"Sloth, send in the rebels with the bombs I created earlier!" Kararu ordered.

"Right away, my Goddess." Sloth said, then she seemed to disappear as well.

"_Soon…torture time will come!"_

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"They're numbers are decreasing! We've almost got them!" Mustang called.

"Good! I'm starting to get tired…" Ed said with a sigh as he clapped his hands and 'glued' a suit of armor's feet to the ground, making it immobile.

Just as Shikou destroyed the last suit of armor, a bomb exploded near them.

"Not another bomb raid!" Hughes groaned.

"Shikou, Hawkeye, get back to the Rockbell estate and make sure Winry and Pinako get down into the basement!" Mustang yelled.

"Yes sir!" They said, saluting, then took off away down the hill.

"Watch out for bombs!" Ed yelled after them.

"We will!" The two answered just before they ran out of sight. The group watched as Kararu stood there at the top of the hill, staring down at them. Suddenly, she disappeared, as did the person standing behind her.

Ed sighed. "We'd better get back."He said just as another bomb exploded.

"You're right." Mustang said. "Men, move back to the house!"

The others nodded and ran towards the general direction of the house.

"We're almost there!" Ed yelled. _"Just hang on a little longer, Aunt Pinako…Winry…we'll be there soon."_

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu watched from the distance.

She turned to Dante and said, "You know what to do, so do it now."

Dante nodded and waved her hand.

"It will be just a moment, my Lady." Dante said with a bow.

"All right." Kararu said. "In a few minutes…BOOM! Away they go!"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Let's go!" Hughes yelled back at the others from his spot at the top of the hill, pointing to the house.

"We're coming!" Al yelled. The others made it to where Hughes was standing. They nodded to each other. For the past few minutes, they had been dodging bombs and explosions, and they were almost to safety.

"It looks like Shikou and Hawkeye made it…"

Havoc sighed with relief.

"Aunt Pinako, Winry, we're almost," Ed said, but was interrupted as a bomb exploded ahead of them, "there…NO!"

Ahead of them…the Rockbell residence was in flames.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_**People who reviewed:**_

**Illusion Maiden**

**beautifly92**

**Shikou**

I hope you guys enjoyed it! Sorry for leaving you on another cliffhanger, but this IS a war story, here!

Sorry if the battle scenes in this chapter suck because of the dialog…but I needed to get that information in… (-sweatdrops-)

Don't forget to click that little button and review! Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Yes, another chapter…

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Spirit of Thunder owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 6**

"No!" Ed yelled.

"Shikou!" Mustang screamed.

"WINRY! GRANNY!" The suit of armor yelled, running towards the house.

"Alphonse, no!" Hughes yelled, grabbing the armor's hand before it could run any farther. "You can't!"

"Why not! Winry's in there!" The armor yelled, struggling against Hughes' grip, but he didn't have any intention of letting go and letting the younger Elric run to his death in the flaming home.

"Al…you can't." Ed said, looking at the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks.

The armor stopped. "Brother…don't you…care about Winry, Granny and the others?"

Ed nodded, then looked over at Al. "I do…but there's nothing we can do until the flames go down…" Ed whispered.

"But…Winry and…Granny…" Al said.

"And Shikou and Hawkeye too." Hughes said with a sigh. Mustang fell to his knees, staying silent.

"Shikou…" Mustang whispered, watching the flames lick the burning house. "And Winry…I never got to tell you…I'm sorry…I'm sorry for killing your parents…"

Havoc stayed silent through all this, tears silently slipping down his cheeks.

The group watched the flames and the house, flinching slightly when the house collapsed. Eventually, all were sitting on the grass, watching the flames go down.

The suit of armor was the first to stand when the flames went down far enough.

"I'm going!" Al yelled before running towards the house.

"Al, wait!" Ed yelled, quickly jumping to his feet.

Hughes stood and was about to run after them when he noticed that Mustang hadn't moved. "Roy?" He asked hesitantly. "The fire's gone down…do you want to…" He started to ask, then trailed off.

Mustang stood quietly, his bangs hiding his eyes. "Yeah…" He said. Havoc stood behind him, looking at his friend in concern.

Without another word Mustang started to walk down the hill after Ed and the suit of armor, his eyes staying hidden. Havoc and Hughes looked at each other, worry clearly written on their faces before they walked down after Mustang.

Ed and Al were the first ones to make it to the burnt remains of the house.

"Al, before you do anything, come here." Ed said, motioning. The suit of armor tilted its head to the side slightly, then walked over.

"What is it, Brother?" It asked. Ed opened the chest plate of the armor and took out Al's body, completely undamaged. "Oh…"

"Now you can start looking." Ed told him as he lay Al's body down on the ground.

The armor nodded, then quickly turned and started to dig through ash and left over burnt wood.

"WINRY! GRANNY! Can you hear me? Are you alive?" Al yelled as he dug.

Ed watched sadly for a moment from the sidelines before starting to dig himself. He knew that something was wrong with Kararu…but he didn't know what, and it was tearing him apart from the inside.

Mustang, upon reaching the ruble, started to dig as well, but didn't say anything, afraid that if he did he would start to choke up.

Havoc and Hughes decided to join the search in silence, not knowing what else they could do.

"Please…Granny…Winry…if you're alive, just wait a little longer…"

"We're coming."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu laughed.

"Now this is just classic! Poor Mustang finally got a girl, and now she's dead." She said with a grin, then her face and voice changed to mock sadness. "Boo hoo."

"My Lady, it also looks as though Alphonse has lost his love as well." Dante said.

"Really?" Kararu asked, looking closer through the binoculars she was using. "Hah! You're right!"

"I was just trying to be of service, my Lady."

_**"Now…you've tortured them. Edward is already starting to wither away, and so are Mustang and Alphonse…what are you going to do now?"**_

"I'm going to torture them some more. They deserve to know that they never should have messed with the Alchemic Demon Goddess."

"My Lady, I know it is not my place to ask this of you, but what do you plan on doing?" Dante questioned.

_**"Go ahead and tell her…she asked politely enough…besides, you could use her in your plans as well."**_

"Well…since you asked me so politely…I'll tell you."

"Oh, thank you, my Lady."

"All right…this is what I was planning to do…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Winry! Granny! Can you hear me?" Al yelled as he continued to dig.

"Al, yelling isn't going to solve anything." Ed whispered.

"Yeah, well, it helps, Brother!" Al shot back at him.

Ed sighed. He didn't want to face the reality of the situation at all. Kararu was gone…she was different, and working for the rebels now. Winry, Pinako, Hawkeye and Shikou were all either trapped or dead under the ruble, and it was driving him insane just standing where he was, thinking he could be crushing them, but knew he had to stay and help dig.

He leaned down and was about to continue shoveling wood and dirt out of the way when…

"Your efforts are useless."

Everyone whipped around, ready to fight…and it was a good thing they did.

There stood Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Lust and Wrath, looking anxious about something.

"What do you want?" Hughes growled out.

"Oh, we're just following orders." Envy answered with a shrug.

"Whose orders?" Mustang demanded.

"Why, our Goddess, of course." Envy told him, grinning.

"Who…who's your Goddess?" The suit of armor questioned.

"You should know…she went missing a day or two ago."

"Kararu…?" Ed gasped.

Envy shrugged. "I don't know her name. I only know her by 'my Lady' and 'Goddess', so don't ask me."

Ed growled. "You…! What did you do to her?"

Envy looked at him. "Aww, Chibi, you know I wouldn't do anything to upset you!"

"Shut up! AND DON'T CALL ME CHIBI!" Ed yelled angrily.

"Aww, it wooks wike Mr. Gwumpy is angwy." Envy taunted.

"I SAID TO SHUT UP!" Ed yelled at Envy, then quickly clapped his hands and turned his automail into a sharp, metallic blade, dashing at the Homunculus full speed.

The others in the group watched the battle, not knowing what to do yet.

As Ed ran at Envy, he just smirked and seemed to disappear, reappearing a few feet away.

"Looking for me, Chibi?" Envy asked from where he was.

Ed's only response was to growl and jump from where he stopped, automail flashing in the light as he went as high into the air as he could, diving at Envy.

"Wha-!" Envy started, but was slammed into the ground by Ed's automail. He soon jumped up, looking at his left arm to watch the large gash heal itself.

"You can't hurt me, shrimp." Envy said with a shrug.

"You can go to-" Ed growled, but was thrown back as Envy suddenly charged and punched him in the gut, sending him toppling onto the rubble of the house.

"Brother!" The suit of armor yelled.

"Edward!" Mustang yelled, starting to run over to him.

"Well, it was fun fighting with ya, Chibi, and I'd love to stay, but we gotta go." Envy said, smirking evilly, then he seemed to just disappear, as did the other Homunculi.

"Wait! Don't go!" Ed yelled, then a humorous voice filled the area around them.

"Have fun replacing what you've lost."

Ed's eyes widened and he looked around frantically, dropping to his knees after a minute to punch the ground.

"Brother, what's wrong?" The suit of armor asked.

Ed looked up at it hopelessly. "Al…where's your body?" Ed asked.

The armor looked around, gasping.

"It's…it's gone!"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu laughed as she watched Greed carrying the unconscious body of Al in the front door of the mansion.

"This is perfect! Now…I guess…it's time to bring his soul back." Kararu said, an evil smirk on her face as she followed Greed, Dante walking behind her.

"Yes, bring back his soul…then you can have your revenge on Edward by taking the only real family he has left!"

"All right." Kararu said, watching as Greed lay Al's body down on the ground in a small room. "Out." Kararu ordered.

"Yes, my Lady." Greed said, then walked out the door.

Dante started to head for the door as well, but Kararu shook her head. "No, Dante. You are allowed to stay…for now."

"It would be a privileged to stay, my Lady." Dante said with a curtsy.

"Good, your showing me the proper respect." Kararu said. She knelt down next to Al's unconscious body and clapped her hands, placing them on Al's chest.

"Now…come back, Alphonse. Come back."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

After the disappearance of Al's body, the group back at the Rockbell estate didn't know what to do, so they decided to continue digging.

They were shoveling pile after pile of wood out of the way when the suit of armor stopped cold.

"Al?" Ed asked. "What's wrong?"

The armor started to shake, and Ed looked at it, his eyes widening.

"My…my soul's being called back…to my body!" The armor said.

"No, Al! You can't go!" Ed yelled.

"I don't…want to…" Al said. "Brother…"

Then, the armor collapsed to the ground, the eyes loosing the glow they had had only seconds before.

"ALPHONSE!" Ed yelled, falling to his knees. "No…not you too…no…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu looked around at the darkness that surrounded her, the only thing that she could see was what 'she' was doing.

"**Why am I doing all this?"** Kararu asked. **"I never wanted to hurt anyone…"**

She had tried over and over again to gain control over her body, but it wouldn't work. Her body was being fueled on rage and revenge alone, and she couldn't do anything about it but watch.

**"Edward…I'm sorry…"**

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kararu watched as Al groaned, his eyes slowly opened.

"All right, Brother, I'm…all……right…" Al said, trailing off when she saw Kararu and another woman standing over him. "Ka…Kararu?" Al asked.

"Kararu?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow. She laughed. "Yeah right, Alphonse. To you, my name is Your Worse Nightmare."

"Wha…what are you talking about, Kararu?" Al asked, getting scared by the look in her eyes. They were filled with hate, revenge and sadness, and they seemed soulless.

She raised her brows at him. "You really mean to tell me that you don't know?"

He shook his head.

"You mean to tell me that you don't know about everyone hating me? Edward, Mustang, Shikou and Hughes…they all hate me!" Kararu snarled.

"Kararu, they don't hate you! They're worried sick about you!" Al tried to reason with her.

"They're worried? Tuh! Yeah right!" She said with a look of disgust. "Whenever they're truly worried about me, all Hell will freeze over! And I have a strong feeling that that won't be happening for a long time!"

"Kararu…what has gotten into you?" Al asked, his eyes becoming fearful.

"_**Destroy him!"**_

Kararu nodded, pulling out a dagger she had on her belt.

"Alphonse, its time for you to meet your maker!"

"Kararu, you don't want to do this!" Al cried desperately, scooting back away from her.

"I don't? Just watch me, Alphonse! I'm going to make Edward suffer like he never thought he could!"

"But Kararu, why?"

Kararu didn't answer him, but turned to Dante. "Dante, leave us now!"

"Yes, my Lady."

_**"All right…you should know what to do now."**_

"I do." She said, then turned back to Al after Dante left the room.

"Rot in Hell, Alphonse!" Kararu growled, lifting the dagger.

She slowly started advancing on Al, Al fearfully scooting himself back until he was shoved back against the wall.

"B-but Kararu…please, stop…" Al said, tears coming into his eyes.

"Die!" She yelled, her hand coming down.

"Stop!" Al yelled, covering his face.

When no pain came to him he looked up, seeing Kararu's eyes flicking in and out of soulless life.

"Kararu?" Al asked.

The dagger dropped to the ground, and Kararu looked up at him, her eyes still blinking, but staying the same longer.

"Kararu?" Al repeated.

"Al?" Kararu questioned, looking down at herself, then at the dagger on the ground, then at the tears that were now spilling down Al's cheeks. "What…what have I done…?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_**People who reviewed:**_

**beautifly92**

**Illusion Maiden**

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All right guys, I got major writer's block in the middle of the chapter! Please forgive me!

Don't forget to click that little button and review! Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

You guessed it…I'm so sorry it took me so long to update, I've been having writer's block and been on vacation... (-sweatdrops-). On with it!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 7**

"Wha…what have I done…?" Kararu asked, falling to her knees, tears coming into her eyes as they continued to flash in and out of soulless and regular life.

"Nothing…yet." Al said, going over to her.

"Al, stay back!" Kararu warned frantically, her eyes going into that soulless look for a moment before they turned back to normal. "I'm switching back and forth…tell Mustang, Hughes and Shikou that I'm sorry…I didn't mean to do that…I wasn't in control of my body, and-"

"Kararu…" Al said, his voice going sad. "Shikou's dead…"

"Wha…what!" She asked, looking up at Al, her eyes wide with fear. "How?"

"A bomb blew up near the house and set it on fire…Winry, Granny, Shikou and Hawkeye were all inside…" Al answered, averting his eyes.

"Al, I…" Kararu said, but trailed off. Her eyes flashed again and she turned to Al. "Follow me, now!" She said, grabbing his hand.

"Kararu, what's going on?" Al asked.

"Just come on!" Kararu said, opening the door. No one was in the hallway, so she took off down it, Al running behind her. Once they made it to the front door, she stopped. "Go!" She ordered.

"Kararu, what are you doing?" Al asked.

"I'm about to loose control again…go to Mustang and Hughes! Help them dig! No matter what you do or what happens, keep digging!" She said.

"Kararu, what're you-"

"Just promise me!" Kararu said.

"All right…I promise…but why?"

"Not now, Al…I have to go…" She said, then took off back down to the room. Al watched her go, then looked at the front door, then dashed out of it and ran as fast as he could towards the mountains that were near the Rockbell estate.

He didn't stop or slow down at all as he ran, and after what seemed to take forever, he finally saw the burnt remains of the house, looking over at the sun to see it setting.

"Just great…" He muttered, watching it as it started to slip back behind the mountains. He saw Hughes, Havoc, Mustang and Ed sitting on the ground dejectedly, then they were all onto their feet, ready to attack as they heard him running closer.

"It's me!" Al called.

"AL!" Ed yelled, dropping his hands to run over and pull him into a hug. "I thought…I thought the rebels had you…"

"They did…" Al said, then looked at Ed sadly. He looked over at everyone else and motioned for them to come closer. They did and Al took a deep breath. "When I woke up…Kararu and Lyra, well, it was actually Dante, were standing over me. Kararu seemed…lifeless…but anyway, she ordered Dante to leave and she kept mumbling things to herself, then she grabbed a dagger and almost killed me before she suddenly snapped back to herself…she helped me escape, but she ran away before I could do anything else…"

"She also said that no matter what we do, we have to keep digging." He said.

Mustang and Hughes looked at each other, a small look of hopelessness on their faces. "What good would it to, Alphonse?" Mustang asked.

"I…I don't know…" Al said. "But she said that we had to keep digging…and I'm not about to break a promise I made to her." He finished before he walked back over to the rubble of the house and started digging again. Ed sighed, then walked back over and started to dig.

Mustang, Hughes and Havoc watched, the three soon joining the small party.

"Can anyone hear me?" Al yelled as he continued to dig.

After an hour of digging in the dark, they were all tired and they all slumped back, sitting on the ground.

"This is useless…" Al mumbled.

"I know we shouldn't be giving up, but we don't have the energy to do this…" Ed whispered.

Hughes nodded. "Come on…the bottom floor of the hotel wasn't destroyed…we can stay there tonight…they're offering free rooms to everyone."

Mustang nodded and stood, sadly looking at the rubble behind him. He was about to start walking after Hughes when he stopped.

"Did you hear that?" He asked, his eyes wide.

Hughes stopped and turned, looking at Mustang confused. "Roy, are you all right?" He asked.

"I don't know…" He said, then quickly ran over towards the rubble.

"Roy, what are you doing?" Hughes yelled after him.

Mustang didn't answer as he continued to dig, and a moment later Hughes could hear a small pounding and his eyes widened.

"I'm coming, just hang on!" Mustang yelled as he didn't stop what he was doing.

Ed and Al looked at each other, then ran over to the rubble and followed Mustang's example, Havoc and Hughes following soon after.

The pounding became louder as they got deeper and soon the door to the basement was revealed. Mustang reached down and wrenched it open and Winry stood there, looking up at them with tear filled eyes.

"Winry…" Mustang said. He reached down and pulled her into a hug.

"We thought you'd never hear us…" Winry said as she hugged him back, her voice hoarse from all the screaming. She realized that she was hugging him and she pulled back, looking around.

"Is Shikou down there?" Mustang asked.

"Yes, but…" Winry answered, stepping aside so he could walk past her. He ran down and saw her lying unconscious on a couch.

"What happened?" He asked as he ran over to her.

"Well, we had just gotten down here after we arrived and she was closing the door when a bomb exploded on the house and she fell down the stairs…" Hawkeye answered quietly.

Mustang looked at Shikou with fearful eyes.

"We should get her to the hospital…if it's still there…" Mustang said as he stood, picking Shikou up. "Is anyone else hurt?"

"No, we're fine…just a little shaken, is all." Pinako answered.

"All right…let's go…"

Everyone nodded, following his lead.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"So…he got away…my dang soft side took over…" Kararu growled.

"We can get him back, my Lady." Dante told her.

"I wish we could…but now he knows what's wrong with me, he'll tell everyone else…I can't get close to them, or my soft side will take over again, and we can't afford that." Kararu growled.

"My Lady, you can do anything." Dante told her quietly. "You are a Goddess."

"I know I am, Dante." Kararu said, smiling dryly at her. "And everyone here knows that…but no one else does." She said with a sigh.

"We could fix that." Dante said.

Kararu turned, raising a brow. "Tell me how."

"It's just as simple as this…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxTwo Hours Laterxx**

Mustang sat next to Shikou's beside, having learned that she was only unconscious. She sustained a few bumps and bruises from falling down the stairs and a sprained wrist, but other than that she was fine, and they just had to wait for her to wake up.

Ed had fallen asleep in the chair near him, curling up after the alchemic healer that had stopped by the hospital had healed his bullet wound. Al sat by Ed, wide awake, not wanting himself to be taken again.

Hughes walked in, sighing when he saw that Shikou was still out.

"The doctors say she should wake up any time now…" Hughes whispered into Mustang's ear.

Mustang jumped, having been so focused on Shikou that he didn't realize that he had walked up behind him. He turned, nodding, then looked back to Shikou, his face full of worry and concern.

Hughes sat down. "Havoc's in the other room…Hawkeye was really shaken up…" He whispered to Mustang.

Mustang nodded. "She would be, wouldn't she? I'm sure Havoc could calm her down though, no worries about that…" He said in a distant sounding voice. A moment later a groan came from Shikou and his head shot up to look over.

"Shikou, Sweetheart? Are you all right?" Mustang asked quietly.

Shikou's eyes opened and she looked over at him with pained icy-blue. "Other than having a headache…aching everywhere…and my back killing me…just peachy…" She said, attempting at humor.

Mustang chuckled and he smiled. "I could go get a nurse to get you an aspirin or something…"

"Please?" She asked weakly.

"All right." He said, then moved to stand.

"On second thought…Hughes, could you do it? I don't want Roy to leave…" She said quietly.

"I wouldn't mind it at all, Shikou." Hughes said with a smile before leaving the room.

"What happened?" Shikou asked quietly.

"All that I know is that after you and Hawkeye got Winry and Pinako down into the basement, you were closing the door an explosion happened right outside, blasting you down the stairs." Mustang explained quietly.

"Oh…that explains my headache…" She said quietly, a hand going up to run a hand over her face, yawning. "How long was I out for?"

"Around six or seven hours, give or take…" Al said quietly.

"Al! Your back in your body!" Shikou gasped, propping herself up on her elbows.

Al nodded. "I'll give you the tale after your headache's gone…it's gonna make you think, trust me." He told her quietly.

"All right…" She said, lying back down fully. "I love you, Roy…"

"I love you too, Sweetheart…just try not to scare me again, I thought I'd lost you twice in the last eight hours, don't do it again, if you can help it…" He said quietly, stroking her cheek.

She smiled softly, and the door opened again and she looked over to see a doctor coming in with a glass of water and a pill in hand, Hughes behind him.

"I told him you didn't like needles." Hughes told Shikou with a small smile.

"Thank you Hughes…" She said as she sat up, taking the water and the pill, swallowing it in one gulp. She handed the glass back to the doctor and he nodded with a small smile before he walked back out the door.

"No problem, Shikou. I know how much you hate the shiny sharp objects." He said, staying away from the taboo word.

Shikou raised a brow at him, then sighed. "My headache should be going away soon…figure out exactly what you want to say, because I'm going to want to know immediately…only reason I'm not asking you to tell me NOW is because I'm still a little disoriented…"

"All right…will do, Shikou." Al said with a small smile.

Ed awoke then with a heavy yawn. "Oh, hey Shikou, your awake!" Ed said with a grin.

"Yes, I am…I've got a headache, keep it quiet, will you?" She managed.

"Will do, Shikou, will do."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

A smirk appeared on Kararu's lips as Dante continued with her explanation, and her eyes glowed evilly when Dante finished.

"Oh yes…that will definitely work…" She grinned, turning to look at the thirteen Homunculi behind her, kneeling and bowing their heads in respect.

"Well…let's get to work." She said with an evil grin.

"As you wish, my Lady." All thirteen said in unison.

"Envy, you know what to do, right?"

"Of course, my Goddess." He said as he stood, then his form shifted to a large man in priestly clothing, his eyes squinted slightly, a rosary wrapped around one hand. "How's this?" He asked, his voice slightly accented.

"Wonderful, Cornello." She said with a grin, using the name he'd be going by for a while. "Now, make your way to Leor." She said with a wave of her hand in dismissal. "Lust, Patience, Revenge, go with him. I don't want him to get into any trouble…no offense meant, dear Envy."

"None at all taken, my Lady." Cornello said with a bow, then he stood while Lust, a middle aged woman and a twelve year old girl came over to stand by him, then as one the four disappeared from sight.

"_**Well…the plan will be coming together soon…and you'll be known everywhere."**_

Kararu nodded. She was still confusing Dante's whisper from her minds voice.

"Yes, it will. Also…since **I** can't get close to Edward and the others…Sloth, Anger, get over here."

Sloth and another young woman walked over to stand before her.

"Yes ma'am?" The two asked at the same time with a bow of their upper body.

"Go confuse Edward, Alphonse and Shikou. Have fun while you do it, too." She said with an evil grin.

"At once." The two said in unison with nearly identical smirks on their faces, then they disappeared as the other four hand.

**_"Just a little bit longer, and you'll have your revenge on the ones that made your life a living hell…and you can kill them with one stroke."_**

Kararu nodded again, smirking, watching the hospital down below from her perch on the cliff she was on. "Good job on not bombing the hospital…it's vital to our plans. Don't bomb it unless I give specific orders…I may want it destroyed later."

The remaining Homunculi nodded, as well as Dante. "As you wish, my Lady."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Shikou sighed. "I knew she wasn't herself when we saw her at the top of the hill, watching that battle…" She said quietly after Al finished telling her what had happened.

"So everyone thought we were dead?" She questioned.

Mustang nodded. "And it was tearing me apart…not to mention Havoc, for some strange reason…"

Shikou smirked. "I know why…though I can't tell you…it's a secret." She said with a grin.

Hughes raised a brow. "That's interesting…I'd like to know, but if it's a secret, I won't press it." He said with a shrug.

"Hey, Roy, we need to go call headquarters and tell them what's going on…"

"Your right, I guess we'll see you guys in a bit…" Mustang said as he stood, looking down at Shikou with a soft, reluctant smile. "I'll be back, Sweetheart."

"Okay, I'll see you when you get back." She said with a wave, watching as the two walked out of the room. "Well…back to finding something to do…"

Ed sighed, nodding, then the door opened and two people walked in. Ed, Al and Shikou all looked up only to stop dead with what they were doing.

Ed and Al's eyes went wide, blinking. Shikou gulped, her eyes wide with deep fear and slight confusion.

Ed and Al were the first to speak. "Mom?"

Shikou finally found her voice a moment later. "Si…Sister…?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_**People who reviewed:**_

**Silvermoon15**

**beautifly92**

**Illusion Maiden**

I finally got this chapter up! Everyone who reviewed, you get a Fullmetal hoodie and twenty platters of cookies, whatever flavor you choose! Thanks for reading!

I know this is kinda short, but I hope to make up for it with the next chapter since I've been having slight writer's block for this… (-sweatdrops-).

Please don't forget to review!

Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Oh, my gosh, guys, it has been so hectic…I just started high school in August, we've been moving, and everything has just been so confusing…I haven't had a single spare minute to write…so…I hope you enjoy this!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 8**

Ed sighed, nodding, then the door opened and two people walked in. Ed, Al and Shikou all looked up only to stop dead with what they were doing.

Ed and Al's eyes went wide, blinking. Shikou gulped, her eyes wide with deep fear and slight confusion.

Ed and Al were the first to speak. "Mom?"

Shikou finally found her voice a moment later. "Si…Sister…?"

"Yes, Sister?" The young girl asked.

"Yes, Edward, Alphonse, Dears." The older woman said softly, shutting the door, her finger slipping over the knob unnoticed.

"Yes, Shikou. It's been far too long, hasn't it?" The younger girl asked, her hands clasped behind her back as she walked closer to Shikou. "Why are you here in the hospital?" She asked, head tilted to the side.

"I was hurt in a battle...wait...don't you know we're in a war?"

The girl shook her head. "No."

"We're in the middle of a war here, Tiara! Don't tell me you didn't know that!" Shikou cried, throwing her arms up into the air as she moved to the edge of the bed.

"I didn't know that...who is it that we're fighting with?" She asked, head tilted to the side in question.

"The Ishballans! Who else would it-"

"Rebels against the military? A weird cult group? Homunculi?"

"Why would the Ishballans fight us, though?"

"I can give a few reasons why-"

"Tiara, I was being sarcastic! The Ishballans have no reason to fight us-d"

"Other than the fact that you haven't done anything to help them, Shikou! I was in love when I was killed, and can you guess who it was with? No, I bet my soul that you can't! You were too wrapped up in the dang military to even freaking notice!"

"Who was it that you fell in love with, then?" Shikou asked, now sounding dejected and hurt. It was true...what had she done to help the Ishballans? She didn't even know that her sister had been in love...

"It was with an Ishballan, Shikou! I loved him with all my heart! Nikhil wa-"

"WHAT!?" Shikou cried, jumping up from the side of the bed.

"See? _This_ is why I didn't tell you!" Tiara said angrily.

"Tiara, I could see you falling in love with someone, but with an-"

"Ishballan? I didn't think so either, Shikou, but my heart said otherwise! It's not my fault you fell in love with the freaking Fuhrer, of all people!"

"You leave Roy out of this!" Shikou said angrily.

"See? Now you're the one getting defensive!"

"An Ishballan, Tiara!…What were you thinking?" Shikou muttered, then was suddenly thrown to the ground, her head spinning. She reached a hand up to her stinging cheek, then doubled over as she was kicked in the stomach, letting out a pained cry as she was kicked again, this time feeling a few ribs crack.

"I wasn't, Shikou! I wasn't thinking!" Tiara hissed, her voice like acid as she kicked her sister again. "But you never approved of anything I did anyways, so why should I have thought! Tell me that, Shikou! Oh, wait, ya CAN'T!"

Shikou found herself being lifted off her feet, then a side of her face throbbed as she felt Tiara punch her. A hand gripped her throat and she started to see black and stars as she started to run out of air.

"Tiara...I'm...sorry...so...sorry..." Shikou gasped, not even trying to get Tiara to release her.

"Sorry won't even begin to friggin' cut it!" Tiara hissed, throwing Shikou against the wall, watching as she slid down, not moving afterwards. She spat at Shikou, a snarl decorating her lips. "Good riddance."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Ed looked over at the woman that had walked in, completely oblivious of what was happening to Shikou, Al in the same condition as his older brother.

"Edward, Dear, why are you in a hospital?" Trisha asked, looking worried.

"We're visiting a friend...why are you here? You're supposed to be dead, Mom!" Al said, sounding shocked.

"No, Dears, I'm not dead...where would you get such an idea?" Trisha asked, head tilted to the side.

"Dad left...then Al and I sat there while we watched you die after you collapsed one day..." Ed said quietly, looking over at her.

"Well, I'm here, so how could I be dead?" She asked as she took a few steps towards them.

"Stop! You're not our mother…" Ed said, grabbing Al and pulling him to stand as he himself did just that, pushing his younger brother behind him.

"Edward, I'm hurt…what're you talking about? I'm your mother." She insisted as she took a few steps closer.

"Stay back!" Ed warned.

"Mother…?" Al whispered as he stepped out from behind Ed.

"Yes, Dear, Mother's here." Trisha said gently, holding her arms out to him. Before Ed knew what was happening, Al had pushed him out of the way and onto the floor, and was hugging Trisha.

"Mother…" Al whispered.

"Alphonse! What're you-!" Ed growled, painfully pushing himself to his feet. He went suddenly stiff, unable to move.

"What…!" Ed muttered, looking down. Stiff, rubbery water was holding him in place, and he looked to see that it was starting to encircle Al as well. "Al, move!"

Al ignored him, feeling safe and content to stay where he was, suddenly finding himself cold, shivering. He looked down as he tried to pull away, finding that he couldn't.

"Mother, what're you doing!" Al cried.

"Shhh, Alphonse dear, it'll all be over soon." Trisha whispered to him.

"That's not our mother, Al!" Ed muttered, and a moment later, his head was reeling, finding himself sliding down the wall, landing in a slump, pain shooting up from his chest.

"L-let me go!" He heard Al say.

Ed looked beside him on the ground to see a broken, bloodied Shikou, unconscious.

"Sh-Shikou…" Ed muttered weakly, discovering that the wind had been knocked out of him, soon trying desperately to breathe. He watched as Al tried to struggle his way out of Trisha's grip, but was failing miserably.

"Let me go!" Al said more forcibly, but was silenced as the rubbery substance moved to cover Al's face, and a gagging sound came from him.

"Let him go, you imposter!" Ed snarled as he got to his feet, watching as his younger brother's struggles became weaker and weaker as he lost air.

Ed ran over and knocked her away, Al falling to the ground, not moving afterwards.

"Al!" Ed yelled, but he was thrown into the wall again, giving off a pained yelp as he hit.

He felt the rubbery substance cover his face a moment later and he attempted to get it off, though it didn't work.

"Sweet dreams forever, Edward dear."

That was the last thing he heard as the world around him went totally black.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Wonderful job, you two." Kararu said as Sloth and Anger returned. "I'll take it from here, thank you two very much."

Sloth and Anger both bowed their head in acknowledgment of the praise.

"Thank you, my Lady." They said in unison.

"_**Wonderful, you've gotten rid of three of them. Now, it's time to check up on news from Lior, I should think."**_

"Yes, I think you're right." Kararu said with a nod, grinning evilly. "Let's check up on our rebellion, shall we?"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As the phone call went on and on with more news, Maes could tell that Roy was growing more and more uneasy.

Just as they were wrapping up the information, Roy couldn't handle it any longer and stood.

"You finish up here, Deputy Fuhrer. I can't stay here." Roy told him.

Maes looked up, confused, but nodded. "I'm coming with you. If something's bothering you this much, I really should go with you…" He turned back to the phone. "Something just came up, we have to go." He said, then hung the phone on its cradle.

"Let's go." He said to Roy.

Roy didn't even wait for that, and was already halfway down the hall. Roy was nearly going at a dead run, panic filling him as he did so.

He stopped in front of Shikou's room, hesitant to open the door. He gulped, finally reaching forward to pull it open. A moment later, he wished he hadn't as he rushed in.

"Oh no…" He muttered, running to Shikou's bloodied form against the wall. "Shikou…Sweetheart, wake up…" He whispered frantically, real fear entering his figure for the first time in a long while, shaking her shoulder. He received a groan from her, but nothing more.

Maes ran in after him, looking at Al. He ran over, shaking Al's shoulders. "Alphonse, Alphonse!" He said, then looked down.

"Why're his clothes wet…" He muttered, then Al coughed, water splashing out. Maes' eyes widened and he started to press on Al's chest, Al gasping and coughing for air a moment later, water spewing up as it became unclogged from Al's chest.

When Maes was assured that he could breathe, he ran over to Ed, who was leaning against the wall, and noticed that his clothes were dripping wet as well.

He pulled Ed away from the wall so he was laying on his back, repeated the same process he'd done with Al. "Come on, Edward…come on…"

Ed coughed up water a moment later, sputtering and gasping for air, coughing a moment later, taking deep breaths in. His eyes fluttered for a moment before they closed again as he coughed.

"Edward, what happened? Edward!" Maes said, shaking Ed's shoulder.

Ed coughed again, his gasps harsh and ragged, sounding as though he'd been half drowned.

"…I…I think…Homunculi…" Ed managed out before coughing again.

Maes looked over at Roy, who was looking between the brothers, not knowing what to do.

"She…she won't wake up, Maes…" Roy whispered.

"Go find a doctor, Roy…it'll give you something to do." Maes said.

Roy nodded, looking numb as he stood, quickly walking out of the room.

Maes sighed, reaching to the side table to grab an untouched cup of water and put it to Ed's lips, tilting it. "Drink this, it'll help your throat."

Ed obliged, still coughing, even after he finished most of the water.

"What happened?" Maes asked him.

"I…after you left…" Ed said, his voice harsh and scratchy. "Two people…came in…" He coughed, his midsection burning with pain as though it were on fire.

"Who?" Maes pressed.

"I…I think…Shikou's sister…and our mother…but that's not possible…our mother…is dead…" Ed muttered, coughing, and let out a pained cry. "My…my stomach…"

Maes looked, though he couldn't see any bleeding. "Where does it hurt?" He asked, watching as Ed lifted a hand to his midsection.

"You might have a few broken ribs…" Maes said with a sigh, turning to the door as it opened again.

"What happened?" The doctor asked as he ran in, going to Shikou first, who looked to be the worst of the three.

"I-" Ed started, but Maes put up a hand and silenced him.

"Don't talk, Edward, you'll just hurt yourself more…" He whispered, then turned to the doctor.

"We're still not sure on that ourselves, doc…" Maes said with a sigh. "Someone beat 'em up, that much is certain…and these two look like they've been half drowned…"

"But there's no water around…" Roy countered as he went over to stand by Shikou while the doctor looked her over.

"That's my point exactly…none of it makes sense!" Maes sighed.

The doctor called for a stretcher, and they brought Shikou out of the room, the wall and floor that had been touching her stained a sickly crimson.

"Just great…" Maes sighed.

"Is Shikou…" Ed started to ask, but he trailed off.

"We don't know about her, Edward…we just don't know…" Maes sighed, sitting back as the doctor came over to Ed.

"We'll have to get a few x-rays, but I don't think they're broken…just cracked." The doctor explained, then called in for another stretcher, them taking a bit longer to get him onto it, as they had to move him very carefully, Ed wincing or crying out if they moved him wrong.

"This is just perfect…" Roy said with a sigh. "This is not what I needed at all…"

Maes nodded. "I know what you mean, Roy…" He said, watching as the doctor moved to check Al over.

"He looks like he should be fine." The doctor announced, but called for a stretcher anyway. "And you two were gone for…"

"Ten minutes, tops." Maes said with a sigh.

"Incredible…to learn that that much damage can be done in such short a time…" The doctor said as he walked out.

Roy looked as though he were about to start crying, and Maes placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll find out who did it, Roy…we will. You don't have to worry…come on, let's go wait on news for Shikou and the others, huh?" Maes asked, giving Roy a small smile.

Roy nodded numbly, though he didn't move at all.

Maes finally had to resort to pushing the Fuhrer out of the room, sighing.

"This…is going to be sad news, I can tell you already…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxA Few Hours Laterxx**

Roy looked up as the doors opened, standing as he saw Shikou's doctor coming towards them.

"Well?" Roy asked.

"She's in pretty bad shape. She has a major concussion on the back of her skull, three cracked ribs, five broken ribs, a broken left wrist, major bruises on her right side, right cheek and throat, as well as on her stomach. And that's not the worst of it."

Roy had already started to go pale, but at that last sentence he had gone white as pure flour.

"What?" He breathed.

The doctor sighed.

"She's in a coma."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_**People who reviewed:**_

**Illusion Maiden**

**Spirit of Thunder**

Well, that's it for now…I know I promised a longer chapter before, but you all have no idea how much work it took to get back on my feet on this story…I'm so sorry… (-cries-) Please forgive me!

OOOOOOOOO, and I just now started writing on fanfic again and I ALREADY have a cliffhanger going! I'm on a roll! (-grins-)

Please DON'T forget to review!

Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

It's another chapter! I finally got into the writing mood! Yay!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I own Kararu Rinamino, Patience, Revenge, Anger, Depression, Mischief and Violence, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 9**

**xxThree and a half Weeks Laterxx**

Roy sighed, hanging his head as he listened to the steady beep of Shikou's heart monitor. She hadn't so much as moved an inch over past weeks, discouraging the doctors and Roy's hopes of her waking up.

Ed and Al had both woken up, and a healing alchemist had stopped by the hospital, healing the two back to perfect health. She couldn't heal Shikou, however, and went about her way.

Maes walked into the hospital room, going to sit by Roy.

"What do you want, Maes." Roy said, not even looking to see who it was, knowing who it was by instinct.

"We have a captor." Maes told Roy.

"That's nice."

"Will you look at me, at least?"

Roy turned, staring blankly at Maes, annoyed look on his face. "What?"

"You have to come with me to see who this captor is."

Roy raised a brow. "You really expect me to leave my comatose fiancée to go see someone else?"

Maes nodded. "Trust me, Roy. You _want_ to see this person."

"Fine." Roy sighed, looking over at Shikou, sighing. He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it before laying it back down. "I promise I'll be back, Sweetheart." He said as he stood, Maes doing so after him.

Once they were out in the hall, Roy crossed his arms over his chest. "Where were they taken at?"

"Lior." Maes replied.

Roy could tell that he was hiding something. "Usually you wouldn't bother me with something like this. Why do I specifically have to see this person?"

"Edward needs to see as well." Maes said as they walked, serious look on his pale face.

"Why're you pale?" Roy asked, following behind him.

Maes shook his head. "Edward is meeting us there." He said as they stepped outside, going to Maes' car. They got in and Maes drove to the military base that was close by.

The ride was silent, tension building between the two of them, Roy able to sense that something was wrong.

"You and Edward will have to stay on the other side of the glass. You can't talk to her, she's already pissed as it is." Maes said as he pulled to a stop.

"It's a she." Roy said, becoming skeptical. Maes watched as realization dawned on Roy's face while they got out. "No…"

"Yes." Maes said as he started to walk inside, Roy jogging to catch up. They were greeted with military personnel, who led them towards the interrogation rooms.

They walked into the observation room, where Ed was already waiting, arms crossed over his chest.

"What is this about, Maes?" Ed asked with a heavy sigh.

"Just wait. Give me a moment." Maes said, walking out of the room.

The two looked at each other, then to the glass when they saw movement. The door on the other side was being opened, and the speakers above them allowed them to hear what was being said.

"Come on, in with you." Someone was saying, then grunted. "If you quit resisting, then it won't be as hard!"

Ed sat up as he heard a growl. He knew that growl…

"Let me go!" A girls voice growled.

Roy sat up at that as well, eyes wide.

Finally, three people were bringing in a handcuffed girl in full leather outfit.

"Oh my God…it's Kararu…" Ed breathed.

The door shut, and the girl was seated at the table, her shackles locked to the table so she couldn't escape.

Maes was walking into the room, and she couldn't see him from her sitting point, but he soon came into view and started to glare daggers at him.

"Miss Rinamino, is it?" Maes asked, raising a brow.

"It's Goddess to you, ya damn mortal!" Kararu growled.

"Goddess?" Ed asked, confused. "She's not a…what is she talking about?"

"I don't know…but let's listen." Roy said, leaning forward in his seat, knowing that the glass was tinted from one side and she couldn't see, nor hear them.

"All right, whatever you say." Maes said with a sigh.

"Why the hell do you have me in handcuffs?" Kararu growled.

"Why are you growling?" Maes shot back. "Maybe if you'd stop struggling and growling at me, I might let those nice guards behind you take them off."

"Uncle Hughes, why the hell did you say that stuff to me?" Kararu asked, her voice suddenly turning sad.

"What? What're you talking about?" Maes asked, now looking confused and interested at the same time.

"Why do you all hate me…what have I ever done…" Kararu whispered.

Maes looked at the glass and shrugged, genuinely confused.

Ed and Roy looked at each other, then back towards the room.

"Kararu, I have no idea what you are talking about." Maes said. "Why are you fighting for the rebels?"

"I'm not."

"Stop lying."

"I'm not lying, and I'm not fighting for the rebels." Kararu snarled, dark, crimson eyes glaring at Maes.

"Then what're you-"

"My people."

"Come again?"

"I'm fighting for _my people_." Kararu growled.

Maes raised a brow. "And where are these people?" He asked.

"Lior. Dublith. Some of East City. Xenotime. They will follow me to death, if they have to. They'll be coming for me soon." Kararu spat out.

Maes looked at her questioningly. He looked at the glass, then motioned for them to come inside.

Roy and Ed looked at each other for a third time, then stood and walked out of the room they were in and into the actual interrogation room.

"Kararu…" Ed said quietly.

Kararu's head turned and looked over her shoulder as he stepped closer, and tears came to her eyes.

"Stay back…" She said, voice suddenly soft and pleading, no hint of the malice or anger it had held only seconds before.

"Kararu…" Ed whispered, leaning closer to her after he'd come in front of her chair, but he stopped when she flinched and whimpered.

"Please…s-stay back…" Kararu whimpered out.

"Kararu, I'm not going to hurt you…" Ed whispered.

"That's a lie…you hate me…I heard it myself…"

"Kararu, listen to me. I am not going to hurt you. Okay? I promise, I won't hurt you at all." Ed whispered, reaching forward to gently put a hand to her cheek. She shied away from his touch as best she could in her chair, sobbing. "Kararu…"

"I said get away from me!" She yelled.

He pulled his hand away, shrugging to Maes and Roy, not knowing what to do.

"Kararu…this is yours…" He whispered, reaching beneath his shirt to pull out one of the two pendants, walking over, gently placing it around her neck and stepped back, like she had told him to.

A moment later she looked up at the three, tears filling her eyes again. "Oh…my…my God…what have I done…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"So, she's not saying anything of what happened, but she apparently remembers everything?" Roy asked.

Maes gave a frazzled nod. "She does, but she isn't saying a single word…she's not saying where their base is, where she's been, or what's been happening at all."

Roy sighed. "And the only person she's allowing around her is Edward…"

"Right."

"This is just…too odd…" Maes said with a sigh as he looked into the hospital room Kararu and Ed were in, sitting next to Shikou's bed.

"If only she'd just let us try to help…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Ed reached out and put his hand reassuringly over Kararu's as she looked over her friend's frail, broken and bruised body, but she pulled it back.

"What happened to her?" Kararu whispered.

"She got beat up, apparently, a few days after you disappeared. Al and I were getting beaten up at the same time." Ed told her.

"This is all my fault…"

"How?"

"I…I sent them…"

"Who?"

Kararu just shook her head as she stared up at Shikou's heart monitor, watching the lines jump up, then go straight, then jump up again in a pattern.

"I can't say." She whispered.

Ed stared for a few long moments before sighing. He looked to the door as it opened and a doctor walked in.

"Kararu, we need to wait outside." Ed said.

Kararu shook her head. "I'm not leaving her." Kararu said.

"Kararu…come on…"

"No, Edward."

Ed sighed, looking up to the doctor.

"She can stay, if she likes." She said an understanding nod at Ed.

Ed nodded, standing. "I'll see you in a few minutes, Kararu." He said before turning and walking out.

He met Roy and Maes by the door, sighing.

"This is probably worse than it seems…" He told them with a sigh.

"We know." Maes said. "She tell you anything?"

Ed shook his head. "No. Not a single word."

The three made their way to the waiting room, sitting down.

"Anyone have any clue on what we could do?" Roy asked.

"For what?"

"Kararu…what're we going to do?"

"I don't know…" Maes said with a sigh.

The three were silent, the only sounds in the room were the ones of the intercom going off, and the beeps from behind the nurses desk.

They looked up when the doctor came back to tell them they could return to the room. Roy looked hopeful, but she shook her head and his fell to hang, knowing she wasn't awake.

He stood, Maes and Ed following his example, and they slowly started to make their way back to Shikou's room.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

After the doctor left, Kararu still sat next to Shikou, sighing.

"Shikou…I doubt you can hear me…but I'm so sorry I sent Anger here…I'm so sorry…it's not me doing all of this, you have to believe me…I'm not the one being the Goddess…I don't want to do it, but the anger and power is just too much…I'm not strong enough…" She whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Shikou…please…find it in your heart to forgive me…and tell Ed that I'm sorry…and I'm sorry for not telling him my secret…and the secret has nothing to do with war." She said, standing. "Please forgive me…"

She turned, watching as the window opened and someone half climbed in, waving her over.

"Mistress? You disappeared from Lior."

"Well, well, well. Look at you. Just in time. I'm ready." Kararu said, going over to the window and climbed out after him.

Just as the window shut, the heart monitor's beeping became more confident, stronger.

Shikou's eyes fluttered open not two seconds later, and she whispered, "I've already forgiven you, you goof…you just have to open your heart and listen…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As Roy walked into the room, expecting to see Shikou still laying there, not moving, Kararu sitting next to the bed.

What he wasn't expecting, though, was to see Kararu gone, and Shikou's hand going up to her head, eyes blinking.

Ed and Maes walked in behind him, stopping dead as they saw Shikou as well.

"…Roy…?" She muttered, icy blue eyes turning to look at him as she heard movement.

"Shikou!" Roy said, running over, taking her hand. "My God, you're awake!"

"H-how long was I out for?" She asked.

"Three and a half weeks, Sweetheart." Roy answered.

"That long, huh? No wonder…I also feel as though I've been run over my a cement truck…" Shikou whispered.

"You should. Maes and I came back after calling HQ and someone had beaten the crap out of all three of you…" Roy answered, leaning over to softly kiss her cheek, the bruise having already healed. "Maes, go call that healer, Shikou could use it."

"Where's Kararu?" Ed asked after Maes had left.

"I…I don't know…" Roy said.

Ed looked to the window as it opened, watching as a quick, limber figure half climbed inside.

"Hey, Chibi!" The thing said excitedly, wide grin on his face.

"Envy." Ed snarled.

"Aww, don't be mean, Chibi…" Envy said, climbing all the way in.

Roy stood, turning, standing between Envy and Shikou. "Get the hell out."

"Hush up, I didn't come here to fight." Envy said. "Mistress wanted me to give you this." He said, tossing something at Ed.

Ed caught it and looked down. "Her pendant…what did you do to her!" Ed growled.

"Nothing. She came with me earlier, and wanted you to have it back, because she didn't want it." Envy replied, smirking. "It's been fun, Chibi, Flame, but I gotta go." He said, then he was gone, the window shutting with a faint 'click'.

"She…she's gone…again…" Ed muttered, leaning against the wall, sliding down it until he was sitting, staring at the pendant in his hand. "Again…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_**People who reviewed:**_

NO ONE REVIEWED! (-I go off and pout-)

Anyways, I've wanted to write this chapter for so long…and now…the next chapter is going to be classic! **DON'T MISS IT!**

Please, don't forget to review!

Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

Yes, yes, yes, another chapter! Lo and behold, we're getting VERY close to the end! Mwahaha! X3 Well, enjoy! And something that I never clarified before…we are in **MODERN-LIKE TIMES**!! Ahem…thank you.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I own Kararu Rinamino, Patience, Revenge, Anger, Depression, Mischief and Violence, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 10**

**xxTwo Months Laterxx**

Maes ran into Roy's office, gasping for air.

"Maes, what is this about?" Roy asked, exasperated, as he had a lot of work to do.

Maes just shook his head and walked over, turning on the television against the wall. He changed the channel and turned it up, stepping away from it.

"-And just this morning, we received a video recording from the city of Lior, where we had previously lost all contact for the past three months. And now, we show you this disturbing tape." The news reporter was saying just before the screen changed to a new, different setting.

Many, many people were gathered around Lior's center square, cheering and clapping, yelling and screaming.

Roy stared at it, looking from Maes to the television and back.

"Maes, what the-"

"Just watch." Maes told him.

Roy raised a brow, turning back to the screen. He watched as the camera zoomed in on a small press podium, and from the building behind it, someone in a black cloak emerged through door, the cloak billowing around it, no shape or figure audible past the dark, flowing cloth. A very large man came out behind it, dressed in priestly garb, followed close by others in white hooded robes.

The crowd's cheers increased as soon as the black figure emerged, and Roy watched as the figure walked up to the podium, moved the microphone with a pale hand, then reached up and removed the hood of the cloak.

Roy gasped. "Oh, damn, we're in a lot of trouble now…"

Maes nodded. "Just keep watching."

"My fellow followers, I want to thank you all for remaining by my side through all of this planning, through all of this hardship of war. But I can promise you all now, that the war will be over soon. For we now have a third, and more powerful, side!" The speaker said, raising a triumphant fist up in the air, a ring of confidence in her strong, vibrant voice.

The crowd cheered with her.

"My people." She said, and instantly their cheers quieted. When she spoke next, her voice was calm, but it built and grew in strength and confidence as she continued on. "Today, I announce to the rest of Amestris, to the rebels, to the State Military, and to the rest of the people, I introduce to you the third side, my people! The Advocates!"

The cheers then exploded again in a fury of sound as she raised her fist triumphantly up into the air again, then she turned, putting her hood back up, but not before Roy could see the struggling look on her face.

The priest walked over to her as she stumbled on her way back inside, catching her, a look of concern on his face as he seemed to ask her something.

She gave a weak nod before he helped her walk inside, the white robed figures following close behind.

Roy looked from the television to Maes, then to the television and back.

"Kararu created a third side?" He asked, almost unbelieving.

Maes nodded. "It seems that this war will last much, much longer than we had first anticipated."

"This…is just perfect…" Roy groaned, leaning down to smack his head on the surface of his desk. "This is definitely _not_ what we needed…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxSeven Months Laterxx**

"Edward, duck!" Shikou yelled.

Ed did as he was told and a ninja star shot over the top of his head, killing one of the Advocates, another rebel dropping beside him.

"The rebels are retreating!" Roy yelled, watching as one of the opposing two sides retreated.

"All that's left is the Advocates!" Ed yelled back as he clapped and created a stonewall, taking a deep breath, Shikou dodging behind the stone with him.

"Having fun, Edward?" Shikou asked, sitting down next to him as he sat down, shivering at the cold, the frigid air

"No. I'm remembering." Ed said, his eyes closed, teeth chattering, a fog of air coming out of his mouth as he let out a huffed breath, rubbing his left arm to try and warm it.

"I'm remembering back almost ten months ago…Kararu and I sat on this very battle ground, behind a stonewall…talking about your husband being Fuhrer…and then when I tried to tell her I loved her, a stupid bomb had to fall…then when we got away, I tried again, then I was shot and disappeared. How much fun is that?" He asked with a sigh.

"Not much." Shikou said.

"You got that right…"

"Sorry to ask…" Shikou said quietly.

"It's not your fault. Kararu…she's dead to me now. She's gone, and I know it." Ed said with a heavy sigh, a certain sadness creeping into his voice.

"The last sighting anyone saw of her was seven months ago, at Lior, when she 'formally' announced the third side in our war…"

Ed nodded. "She created the Advocates, then she disappeared."

"True…but why did she disappear? Many say she was hiding something…"

"Who knows. She was so secretive, how was I even supposed to know anything?" Ed asked with a sigh.

"That secretive…is something that someone never should be." Shikou said quietly.

Ed nodded. "She didn't know any better…brought up an orphan, all alone...how was she supposed to know that you can confide in someone?"

Shikou shrugged. "I don't know, but…like you said…she's gone now."

Ed nodded, standing. "Be ready to move, I'm taking down the wall. I can't stay sitting still for long in this cold air."

"Got it." Shikou said, standing herself.

Ed clapped, placing his hands on the wall, and it turned into a large club of stone, and he swung, taking down an Advocate that got too close.

Shikou threw more ninja stars, hitting in either the head or the chest, not missing her mark once.

Ed looked up on the cliffs to see Riza and Jean, sniper rifles out, sniping down Advocates around them.

A moment later, Ed watched as the Advocates started to run at the sound of a whistle.

"Finally, retreat…" Ed said with a sigh as he clapped and turned his automail back to normal, unceremoniously dropping the stone club to the bloody ground.

"Edward…" Roy said, voice shockingly quiet, Ed able to hear him despite their distance over the now deserted battleground.

"What?" Ed asked.

"Look…" Roy whispered, pointing.

Ed looked, his eyes widening. "Oh my God…"

He ran, everything in his mind reeling, not knowing whether to jump for joy or cry in sadness. He finally reached his destination, falling to his knees, Roy running up behind him.

Ed leaned down and picked her up in his arms, tears coming to his eyes. "Kararu…" He whispered.

"It's her?" Roy asked.

Ed nodded silently, noticing that she was covered in blood, pushing her trench coat aside to see a bloody hole in her stomach. "Damn…"

"Too good to be true…" Roy whispered.

Ed stood, Kararu in his arms. "I'm bringing her to the hospital." Ed said before running off, leaving Roy and the newly arrived Shikou to their confusion.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxMany Hours Laterxx**

"Edward, you're a nervous wreck."

Ed looked up from counting floor tiles as Maes walked over to him.

"What do you expect, Maes? Kararu's seemed nearly dead when we found her…it's been at least twelve hours since I got her here and…they took her away…what do you want me to do?"

"Be thinking about the promotion banquet?" Maes asked, sitting down.

"True…when is it?"

"In two days."

"Here?"

Maes nodded. "Well…not here in the hospital, but yes, here as in here in Resembool, at the new Northern HQ."

"The one Kararu was interrogated at."

Maes nodded again. "Right."

Ed looked up as someone walked through the door, watching as they walked over to him.

"Mr. Elric, I presume?" The woman asked.

Ed nodded.

"All right, Mr. Elric. I'm Dr. Silia, and I'd like to inform you that Miss Rinamino is doing just fine. We were able to stop her bleeding and sew up her arteries, as well as patch up the few organs that were damaged in the wound. You can go see her, if you like. She should be waking up within the hour, since she's been resting for a few hours already."

Ed looked to Maes, nodding. "Right…tell Roy where I've gone, will you?"

"Sure thing, Edward." Maes told him with a nod as he watched Ed walk off after the doctor.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As Ed walked into the room, the doctor having stayed outside, he was greeted with a pair of crimson eyes staring over at him.

"…You know that I hate hospitals…" Were the only words that Kararu was able to get out before Ed was over by her bed, having pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Kararu, before a bomb falls or before I'm shot, I want to say that I love you." Ed said after he pulled away.

Kararu looked dazed for a moment before she smiled. "I love you, too…"

"I didn't think I'd get to talk to you so quickly…you looked horrible when we found you…"

Kararu shrugged. "I wanted to see you." She said with a smile. "The doctor said that my will to survive and strong heart kept me alive."

"That's good…because I'd hate it if you were dead." Ed said before pulling her into a kiss, savoring the feel of her being close to him once again.

"I'm not letting you go this time." Ed told her.

"And I'm not leaving." Kararu told him, leaning in for another kiss, finally glad to have him there and with her again.

'_No more lies…no more damn Homunculi telling me what to do…or who's following me…or what to listen to…only Edward…here to tell me that he loves me…I knew it was all fake…everything that Dante made me listen to…it was all a lie…and I'm grateful…and now I have just have one secret…but Edward doesn't need to know.'_

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxTwo Days Laterxx**

Ed knocked as he walked into Kararu's hospital room, smiling as he saw her reading a book.

"Hey, how're you doing, Sweetheart?" Ed asked with a smile.

"Wonderful, now that you're here." Kararu replied as she set down her book, smiling as he came over and gave her a soft kiss. "You ready for the promotion banquet? You don't look it."

Ed shook his head.

"No, I was on my way home to go change." He told her with a smile. "I wanted to come see you first."

"Aww, you're too sweet." Kararu told him with a soft, soothing smile gracing her lips.

"There's something else I wanted to do." Ed said with a smile.

"And that would be…?" Kararu pressed, looking confused as she slowly sat up fully to look at him, mindful of her stomach.

Ed smiled as he got off of his chair and knelt on one knee, reaching into one of his pockets.

"Kararu Rinamino…would you do me the honor…" Ed started, pulling a small, black velvet box out of his pocket. "…Of being my wife?"

Kararu stared in shock as he opened the box. "Oh my God…is this a dream…?"

Ed smiled. "No, it's not." He said.

Kararu looked up at him, then smiled widely from ear to ear. "Yes."

He grinned, taking the ring out of the box to put it on her finger.

"Perfect fit." He said with a smile.

Kararu nodded. "It is…now scoot, if you want to be on time for that banquet." Kararu said with a grin. "I'll see you later, okay? I promise."

Ed sighed as he stood, nodding. "Yeah, all right, I'll go." He said, leaning down to kiss her.

"I'll stop by again on my way to the banquet hall."

"You sure?" Kararu asked. "You might be late if you do that."

Ed nodded. "Yup, I'm sure. I'll see you soon, Sweetheart." He said with a smile before kissing her again.

"Bye." Kararu said after him as she watched him walk out the door, picking up her book again to begin reading once more.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

**xxAn Hour Laterxx**

Ed smiled happily as he walked back into the hospital, a bouquet of roses in his hand.

Even though Kararu couldn't go to the banquet with him, it didn't mean that he couldn't make her happy.

Despite the fact that there was a war going on around them, everything seemed to be as normal as it could be, and it was a bit surprising.

He went to Kararu's room, knocking before going inside, like he always did.

Smiling as he walked in, he said, "Hey, Kararu, Sweetheart, I'm back."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Maes pushed his way through the crowd, clad in all out tuxedo and tie. He finally made it up to Roy, who was sitting at the table already, bodyguards standing behind him in their formal fashion on such an occasion.

"Roy, we have to call off the banquet." Maes breathed.

"Why?" Roy asked. "We can't do that; it's already planned and everyone's here already."

"Roy. We have got to call it off."

"Again, I ask, why?" Roy questioned.

Maes took a deep breath, tears in his eyes as he looked up at his friend.

"Maes, what happened?" Roy whispered as he saw the tears.

Maes bit his lip, the tears starting to fall, tongue darting out of his mouth to try and moisten his dry, parched lips.

"We have to call it off…because Kararu Rinamino died at 5:42 this evening."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_**People who reviewed:**_

**hpgrl95**

**Recka Star**

Well, is that a shocker? I've been planning that for forever! XD I hope you all enjoyed it, and I'm sorry if you're sad, please don't kill me! I already have the next chapter written, so I'll put it up as fast as tweak it and work out a few details, okay? Please, don't kill me!

**BEFORE ANYTHING IS ASSUMED, WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!** Ahem...thank you.

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_**Join me next time for:**_

**All's Fair in Love and War: Story Finale**


	11. Chapter 11

Well, I know I left you all on such a cliffhanger, and I'm sure you all hate me. I'll put this up for you now, so I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, Depression, Anger, Mischief, Violence, Revenge and Patience, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 11**

**Story Finale Part 1**

Roy and Maes ran into the hospital, still in their suits, running to Kararu's room.

"Where is Edward?" Roy breathed, out of breath.

"I…I didn't know what to do…" The nurse said quietly.

"Where is he?" Roy repeated in a breathy voice.

"He's in there…with her…"

Roy ran into the room, slowing his pace as he went.

Kararu's heart monitor was dead, having been turned off previously by the nurse. There lay Ed, next to Kararu's already pale body, clad in tuxedo and red ribbon hair tie. His head was resting on her shoulder, tears leaking from his eyes as he did, half curled over her corpse.

Kararu looked so peaceful, her hair pulled over her shoulder in a delicate braid, red ribbons braided in with the black and already red strands of hair. A few gold coins were braided in as well on a gold thread, though they would never move with their owner again. Her crimson eyes were closed permanently, limp hand gently holding a book, which had fallen to rest on the bed's sheets.

Ed didn't move as Roy came into the room, a hand gently caressing Kararu's pale cheek. Shikou and Maes were soon to join Roy by the door, stopping as they saw the scene laid out before them.

"Edward…" Roy said quietly, tone deeply saddened and quiet just then.

"I think it was a stroke…" Ed whispered. "She was prone to blood clots, with all of the sutures she had inside her…a clot could have formed on them and traveled to her brain. It just takes a second."

"Ed…" Shikou whispered quietly.

"Dr. Silia did a beautiful job on the surgery…but I don't know why none of us thought of blood clots…She…she died all alone…She was alone…"

"There was nothing you could have done." Maes told him gently from where he stood, hearing more people come in through the doorway, though he didn't look.

"I couldn't get my tie to stay on right…I wanted to look nice for her…for once. I would have been here sooner…but I couldn't get the stupid tie to work…" Ed said quietly, hand still gently stroking his dead lovers cheek.

"Edward…" Shikou said as she came forward to the bed, looking over at him. "We shouldn't be in here now."

"There are things they need to do…" Roy explained. "They need to move her…"

"Take her to the morgue." Ed finished in a dead whisper.

"You can't stay here. I know you want to." Roy whispered as he came over to the bed as well.

"Can you please…please just get out?" Ed whispered, closing his eyes as he choked back a sob. "I want to be alone with Kararu…one last time…"

"Brother, that's not Kararu." Al said as he came over, forcing his own tears back, if only to stay strong for his brother.

"Shut up." Ed said, voice a whisper, moving to close his eyes as he rested his head on Kararu's shoulder again.

"Ed. That's not Kararu." Al repeated.

"I said to shut up." Ed said again, but his voice was shaky and feeble.

"Edward…the minute her heart stopped beating, she stopped being Kararu. Now, I know you love her…but she also loved you. And a girl that loves you like that, she wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. Because it's not Kararu. Not anymore." Shikou told him gently, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"An hour ago…she was accepting my propose…and now-" Ed started to whisper, but his voice caught and he had to swallow. "-And now she's going to the morgue…isn't that ridiculous?" He whispered out, jaw quivering, sob escaping his throat.

"Isn't that the most ridiculous piece of crap you've ever heard?" Ed asked, and started to sob, burying his face into Kararu's shoulder, her head rolling at the movement so her head was facing his.

Ed sobbed again, moving to put his face in the crook of her deathly pale, slender neck. Al looked clueless, so Shikou moved over.

"Come on…" She whispered.

Ed sobbed, shaking his head, clinging to Kararu's corpse as though it was his lifeline to sanity.

Shikou ignored that, and put her arms around him, pulling him gently away from Kararu, moving over to the chairs on the side of the room. She sat down, gently rocking Ed back and forth as he put his arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder.

"Shhh…shhh, Ed…please…" She whispered.

The room was silent and without movement, other than that of the gentle rocking of Shikou and Ed, and his hard, wracking sobs.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As the group in black walked away, four people stayed by the freshly turned earth. The clouds churned in the sky dangerously, but not a single drop of rain or snowflake had fallen.

Ed was kneeling on the ground, placing five bouquets of roses over the top of the grave.

**Kararu Sasha Rinamino**

**1898-1918**

**Brigadier General**

**Loving Fiancée and Friend**

**May you forever rest in peace**

"Edward…we have to get back to the house, it's getting dark…" Roy whispered.

Ed shook his head.

"I'm not leaving yet." He whispered. "I haven't said goodbye…"

Tears came to Shikou's eyes and she turned to her husband.

"Roy…can we go?" She whispered, her mood starting to deteriorate the more she stayed around Ed.

Roy looked over at Maes and gave a small nod, Maes giving him one back in a signal that he wouldn't leave Ed alone.

"Sure, Sweetheart, come on." Roy said, putting an arm around Shikou's shoulders as she came over to him.

"We'll see you later." Shikou said quietly with a wave.

After they had gone, Ed sat down beside the headstone of the grave, leaning his head against it.

"Edward…" Maes said quietly.

"Shhhh…" Ed whispered, holding a hand up. He felt breathing on the back of his neck, and felt arms wrap around him from behind. "Kararu…" He whispered. "You never really left…"

Tears came to his eyes again as he sat there, already looking as though he were half dead himself.

Maes backed off, watching, knowing he was saying goodbye.

"Kararu, it's only been two days, and I feel like I'm about to die…I miss you so much already, Sweetie…" Ed whispered, holding his hand where he felt her arm laying. "I can't live without you…"

He sighed, silent for a moment. "I know…I know…I'm so sorry…but I'm not strong enough…I can't live without you…" He was silent for a few moments again. "Sweetie, please…I'll try…I promise, I'll try, if it'll make you happy…"

He had tears flowing down his cheeks from his welling eyes, biting back another sob. "I know…I love you, too, Sweetie…" He sobbed. "I'll see you…when my time comes…goodbye, Sweetheart…"

His hand fell and he seemed to calm down after a minute of quiet, and he sniffed, looking up at Maes.

Maes looked down and held a hand out to help him up, and Ed accepted it.

"Edward, I know it's hard…" He whispered.

Ed nodded. "I know. I know…" He said, shoving his hands in his pockets, looking down at the grave, shivering at the cold that surrounded them. "I'll come visit every time I have the chance, Sweetie…I promise." Ed said, then turned and started to walk away from the grave.

Maes sighed.

"Goodbye, my little niece…may we meet again, my little punkin." Maes whispered down at the grave before turning and walking to catch up with Ed.

As they walked, they both slowed to a stop, turning one last time to look back at the flower-covered grave.

Ed smiled softly, waving, Maes giving a hearty wave himself…

…For standing behind the grave, leaning on it, was Kararu, though transparent. She was waving and giving a soft smile, a small, single tear trailing it's way down her cheek.

"Goodbye." They both said before turning and walking off, Kararu disappearing with the next gust of wind.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Edward!"

Ed turned, looking slightly confused. "Huh? What's all the yelling for?" Ed asked, watching as Maes ran up to him.

'_We're already about to leave again for another round at war, so what could be happening now?'_ Ed thought with a sigh. "What is it, Maes?"

"Come with me!" Maes replied, taking Ed's wrist to lead him towards Roy's office and away from his own.

"What! Maes, what in the he-" Ed started, but the moment Maes pulled him into Roy's office, Ed quieted, sensing he should be silent.

"Roy, what's going on?" Ed asked after a moment of nothing being said.

"Edward." Roy said from where he stood by the floor to ceiling windows, looking out over the city.

"If this is about leaving tomorrow, then I don't-"

"That isn't what this is about, Edward." Roy said.

"Then what is it?" Ed huffed, arms crossed over his chest, one hand resting over where one of the two pendants was resting around his neck.

"You know how Kararu was gone for eight months after she disappeared right before Shikou woke from her coma?"

Ed nodded, getting a little iffy and frightened. "Roy, you know I hate talking about this…why do we have to talk about it…" He said with a heavy, sad sigh, his hand going to fumble with the engagement band he still hand around his finger.

Even after three years, the scar was still going strong in his heart, the wound never having healed properly.

"Just listen." Roy said. "The answer is yes to that?"

"Yes, it's yes to the question."

"And she was gone for a month before that." Roy stated.

"What're you getting at?" Ed questioned, totally clueless.

Roy turned to look at him, a soft smile on his face. He walked over to his chair and turned it around. A pair of amber eyes, as well as another pair of crimson eyes were staring up at him from in the chair.

"Kararu was pregnant when she disappeared after that month. She had twins. And _you_ are their father." Roy said.

As Ed stood there, his heart skipped a few beats from shock.

"Oh my God…" He managed out before he fell to the ground in a dead faint.

Roy looked from the twins sitting in his chair to Ed, then up to Maes.

"Well…that could have gone better…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

**NO ONE REVIEWED AGAIN! (-pouts-)**

Yeah, you guessed it, I decided to turn the finale into a two parter, just to see if you guys flip at this new piece of info or not. Heh…I hope you all like this! Thanks for reading! 

_-Kararu Rinamino_


	12. Chapter 12

Well, this is it. The last chapter of this story. I hope you all like this!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino, Depression, Anger, Mischief, Violence, Revenge and Patience, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.**

**All's Fair in Love and War**

**Chapter 12**

**Story Finale Part 2**

Roy sighed.

"Edward still unconscious?" He asked, looking over at Maes.

Maes nodded. "I'm starting to get worried about him…" He said, looking into the hospital room. "He hasn't moved for days…"

"I think everyone's worried about him…" Roy said softly.

"What happened, anyway?" Maes asked, confused.

Roy shrugged. "Beats me…we'll have to ask the nurse that was there…"

"It happened in Kararu's old room, right?"

Roy nodded. "It is…what do you mean by 'old', anyways?"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"It's so strange around here…" Shikou said with a sigh.

Riza nodded, taking a seat in the large armchair, arms resting on the large bulge in her stomach. "It is…Jean's gone to get something for dinner for the two of us…but without Kararu or Edward here…" She sighed.

"Everything's different…" Shikou finished with a nod.

"Did anyone ever find out what she was hiding before?" Riza questioned.

Shikou shook her head. "No, not at all…no one did."

Riza sighed. "I wish she hadn't kept so many secrets, it was so hard to get to know her as well, with how she had been living…"

Shikou nodded. "Not telling anyone anything about something important to them…it must have been so hard on her."

Riza sighed. "It's harder on those around her, I just wish she had realized that sooner…before everything with the Advocates and the rebels started creeping up…"

Shikou sighed. "I think we all do…"

XxXxXxXxSsSsXxXxXxXx

"Edward, open the door!"

Ed sighed. He could hear Maes knocking on his apartment door. He wasn't going to answer, though. Looking in the bathroom mirror, he didn't recognize the person looking back.

His hair was tangled and matted, not having taken a brush to it for month. Dark circles under his eyes showed everyone that he hadn't gotten much sleep lately at all, and he was wearing all black, as though still mourning his lover's death. Dead, dark amber eyes were staring back at him, showcasing barely a minimal fraction of what they had looked like years before.

"Edward! I know you're in there!"

Ed sighed.

"Kararu…" He whispered. "I'm not strong enough for this…I held up for three years, I can't do it any longer…"

Looking on the counter beside him, he could see the tools he'd brought in. Drills, hammer, nails, knives and a razor. First, he took the razor up in his hands, staring at it.

"Let's see how long it takes to get me up to you."

He took the razor and placed it carefully on his wrist, and pressed down.

He was surprised when pain didn't come up his arm, watching as the blood trickled down his wrist and down to his fingertips, the crimson liquid dripping into the sink. The more the blood dripped, the more he felt the need to press the blades in further.

The liquid going down his arm was soothing, calming, welcoming.

"Edward!"

He ignored the voice once again, and pressed the blade in more, and felt a small twinge as he knew he'd just nicked the vein and dug it in deeper. It wasn't from pain…but was from a welcoming darkness.

He could feel the darkness closing in on him, and he wanted more.

"Edward, damn it!"

Ed felt his strength leaving him, and his eye lids fluttered greatly. He fell to the ground, accidentally knocking a handheld mirror down with him, hearing it shatter as it hit the floor.

"Edward!"

The voice yelling for him was becoming more distant, and he vaguely heard the doorway being kicked open. He felt someone next to him a few moments later.

"Edward, why?! Why!"

He heard Maes ask.

"…………..because……….I……….still………..love…………………..her………"

Those were the last words Ed muttered before his eyes closed for the last time, letting out his final breath.

Edward Elric died that day, exactly three years from the date of his lover's, Kararu Rinamino, death at 5:42, December 24th, 1921.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As the crowd in blue and black walked away, a small group of people stayed around the freshly turned earth.

The weather was the same. Cloudy, no sunshine, cold, threatening to rain…

It was the same as the day they buried Kararu…

Strange, that the world knows when to change…

Roy stared down at the grave before him.

He still couldn't believe it had really happened…

None of them could…

**Edward Hoenhiem Elric**

**1899-1921**

**Loving fiancé and friend**

**May you forever rest in peace**

**Be thou for the people always**

"Why did he do it…" Roy asked no one in particular, shivering as the wind rushed around them all again.

"He said he'd done it because he loved her…" Maes sighed. "I was there…"

Roy sighed. "No one knows what was going on in those two heads, right there…" He said, looking between the two graves that were there. "Looks like they wanted to stay close…"

Shikou nodded, tears in her eyes. "I just…I wish that none of this had happened…" She whispered.

"I think we all do, Sweetheart…" Roy whispered, putting his arms around her and holding her close as she started sobbing again. Al remained silent, not saying anything. Unannounced tears were rolling down his cheeks, though he didn't move to stop them. He'd just lost his brother, who wouldn't be sad?

"Come on…it's cold out, and Granny said she'd make us some hot drinks…" Winry whispered, tears in her eyes as well as she said the next part. "…and some stew for us…so we would never forget Edward…"

Roy sighed before he spoke.

"How could we forget him, though?"

The question lingered unanswered through the air as the group made their way away from the two flower covered graves.

What went unnoticed, though, were the two pale white, transparent figures behind the graves, silently dancing and laughing in the wind.

XxXxXxXxSsSsXxXxXxXx

Ed sat straight up, gasping for air, cold sweat running down the side of his face.

He looked around frantically, trying to gather his bearings, and finally he relaxed a little.

He looked in front of him and gasped.

There lay Kararu, breathing and very much alive, her hand gently gripping his.

'_What is going on?'_

He looked down at their hands, seeing that they each had an engagement ring.

'_This…is very strange…'_ He thought, seeing her asleep.

The door opened and Roy walked inside, smiling at Ed.

"Well, well, well, good morning, Sleepy Beauty. It's good to see you awake." He said, with a chuckle as he walked over to sit down.

"What're you talking about, Roy?" Ed questioned, voice sounding groggy and tired.

"What do you mean by that? You've been unconscious for the past few days."

"What?" Ed breathed.

"You came in here with that bouquet of roses and walked in here, or so I'm told, and you just collapsed." Roy told him. "Kararu had been sleeping and a nurse was checking her vitals at the time, but you had managed to make it to her bed somehow and wouldn't let her hand go at all. No matter what they tried, you wouldn't let her hand go, so…" He shrugged. "You've just been here. We've all been so worried about you, and Kararu's only been able to use one hand for the past few days." He chuckled.

"What happened to the promotion banquet?" Ed asked.

"We had to postpone it anyway, even with your collapsing, because the badges and jacket didn't come in on time." Roy told him with a shrug. "Should I wake Kararu to tell her you're okay?"

Ed shook his head. "I'll do it." He told Roy, reaching over to gently shake her shoulder. She blearily opened her eyes and looked over at him, looking slightly confused before she smiled.

"You're awake." She said with a grin.

Ed nodded.

"There's something I want to ask you, though, that I must have apparently dreamed while I was out." Ed told her.

Kararu looked confused again, but nodded. "Okay, shoot."

"You know how you were gone for ten months?"

She nodded, still lost.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, a sly grin on his face.

Roy looked confused, then even more confused as the sly grin seemed to be contagious and spread to Kararu's face as well. She looked at him and nodded.

"Where are they?" Ed asked quietly.

"Rose is taking good care of them in Lior. She said that I could call her and she'd bring them to us. She was the one that helped me escape."

Roy raised a brow. "What is going on, you two?"

Kararu and Ed turned, smiling.

"While I was gone…" Kararu started.

Ed grinned, finishing for her. "…She had twins."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Now…for places of people who reviewed…

In fifth place, with one review each, is **Dark Lurker** and **Recka Star**.

In fourth place, with two reviews, is **hpgrl95**.

In third place, with four reviews, is **Spirit of Thunder**.

In second place, with five reviews, is **beautifly92**.

And now…in FIRST place with SEVEN reviews…let's give it up for **Illusion Maiden**!

Let's give them all a big round of applause!

Now…for my notes at the end of the chapter…

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, SHE'S NOT REALLY DEAD! _HAH_!**

Okay, as of right now, I am currently writing the first chapter to the SEQUEL of _All's Fair in Love and War_. If you have any ideas or input, please put them in.

I have already chosen names for their children, so please don't give any suggestions, I'm fine just where I am in writing as of right now.

So, I hope you all had fun with this story, and I shall be putting up the sequel in due time! This is the only story that I have really gotten inspiration to write for, so please, giving me a bit of slack for those of you who read my other stories, okay? (-sweatdrops-)

Thanks so much for reading, the reviews, and thanks so much for the support!

-Kararu Rinamino


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